योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-48, verse-21

श्रीराम उवाच ।
ईश्वरः को मुनिश्रेष्ठ कथं भक्त्या प्रसाद्यते एतन्मे तत्त्वतो ब्रूहि सर्वतत्त्वविदां वर ॥ २१ ॥

śrīrāma uvāca ,
īśvaraḥ ko muniśreṣṭha kathaṃ bhaktyā prasādyate etanme tattvato brūhi sarvatattvavidāṃ vara 21

21. śrīrāma uvāca īśvaraḥ kaḥ munīśreṣṭha katham bhaktyā
prasādyate etat me tattvataḥ brūhi sarvatattvavidām vara

21. śrīrāma uvāca.
munīśreṣṭha,
sarvatattvavidām vara,
īśvaraḥ kaḥ? katham bhaktyā prasādyate? etat tattvataḥ me brūhi.

21. Śrī Rāma said: 'O best among sages, who is the Lord (Īśvara)? How is he propitiated by devotion (bhakti)? O best among those who know all truths, explain this essential truth to me.'

Words meanings summery:

• श्रीराम (śrīrāma) - Śrī Rāma

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• ईश्वरः (īśvaraḥ) - the Lord, master, controller

• कः (kaḥ) - who?, what?

• मुनीश्रेष्ठ (munīśreṣṭha) - O best among sages

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• भक्त्या (bhaktyā) - by devotion, through adoration

• प्रसाद्यते (prasādyate) - is propitiated, is pleased, is appeased

• एतत् (etat) - this (thing)

• मे (me) - to me

• तत्त्वतः (tattvataḥ) - truly, in reality, in essence

• ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, speak

• सर्वतत्त्वविदाम् (sarvatattvavidām) - of those who know all truths

• वर (vara) - O best, O excellent one

Words meanings and morphology

श्रीराम (śrīrāma) - Śrī Rāma

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śrīrāma

śrīrāma - Śrī Rāma (name of the prince of Ayodhyā, an incarnation of Viṣṇu)

Compound type : karmadhāraya (śrī+rāma)

• śrī – holy, sacred, auspicious; prosperity, glory
  adjective
• rāma – pleasing, charming; name of a celebrated hero
  proper noun (masculine)
  Root: ram (class 1)

Note: Subject of 'uvāca'.

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of vac

perfect

Irregular perfect tense form of √vac

Root: vac (class 2)

ईश्वरः (īśvaraḥ) - the Lord, master, controller

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of īśvara

īśvara - lord, master, controller, ruler, God

From root īś (to own, rule, command)

Root: īś (class 2)

Note: Used as a predicate nominative with the interrogative 'kaḥ'.

कः (kaḥ) - who?, what?

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

Interrogative pronoun

Note: Interrogative pronoun asking 'who'.

मुनीश्रेष्ठ (munīśreṣṭha) - O best among sages

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of munīśreṣṭha

munīśreṣṭha - best of sages

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (muni+śreṣṭha)

• muni – sage, ascetic, seer
  noun (masculine)
  Root: man (class 4)
• śreṣṭha – best, most excellent, chief
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative of praśasya (excellent)

Note: Addressed to Vasiṣṭha.

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

Interrogative adverb

भक्त्या (bhaktyā) - by devotion, through adoration

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of bhakti

bhakti - devotion, adoration, loyalty, attachment

From root bhaj (to divide, allot, partake, adore)

Root: bhaj (class 1)

Note: Indicates the means of propitiation.

प्रसाद्यते (prasādyate) - is propitiated, is pleased, is appeased

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of pra-sād

present passive

From pra-√sad (to settle down, be clear, be pleased)

Prefix: pra

Root: sad (class 1)

एतत् (etat) - this (thing)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, this (near to speaker)

Note: Object of 'brūhi'.

मे (me) - to me

(pronoun)

Dative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, me

Note: Enclitic form for dative case.

तत्त्वतः (tattvataḥ) - truly, in reality, in essence

(indeclinable)

Formed with the suffix -tas from tattva (truth, reality).

Note: Adverb modifying 'brūhi'.

ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, speak

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of brū

imperative

Irregular imperative form of √brū (also related to √vac)

Root: brū (class 2)

सर्वतत्त्वविदाम् (sarvatattvavidām) - of those who know all truths

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of sarvatattvavid

sarvatattvavid - knower of all truths/principles

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sarva+tattva+vid)

• sarva – all, every, whole
  pronoun
• tattva – truth, reality, principle, essence
  noun (neuter)
  From tad + tva
• vid – knowing, one who knows
  noun (masculine)
  From root vid (to know)
  Root: vid (class 2)

Note: Possessive or partitive genitive with 'vara'.

वर (vara) - O best, O excellent one

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, choicest; boon, wish

From root vṛ (to choose, select)

Root: vṛ (class 1)

Note: Used as an address.

Previous Verse Next Verse