योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-53, verse-4

एतत्क्रमेण हे ब्रह्मन् वद मे वदतां वर ।
आदितः प्रतिपाद्यैव बोध्यन्ते ह्यल्पबोधिनः ॥ ४ ॥

etatkrameṇa he brahman vada me vadatāṃ vara ,
āditaḥ pratipādyaiva bodhyante hyalpabodhinaḥ 4

4. etatkrameṇa he brahman vada me vadatām vara
āditaḥ pratipādyā eva bodhyante hi alpa-bodhinaḥ

4. he brahman vadatām vara etatkrameṇa me vada hi
alpa-bodhinaḥ āditaḥ pratipādyā eva bodhyante

4. O Brahmin, best among speakers, please explain this to me in sequence. Indeed, those with little understanding are taught only by being explained from the very beginning.

Words meanings summery:

• एतत्क्रमेण (etatkrameṇa) - by this sequence, in this order, by this method

• हे (he) - O! (vocative particle)

• ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - O Brahmin, O holy person

• वद (vada) - speak, tell, explain

• मे (me) - to me, for me

• वदताम् (vadatām) - of those who speak, among speakers

• वर (vara) - best, excellent, superior

• आदितः (āditaḥ) - from the beginning, firstly

• प्रतिपाद्या (pratipādyā) - having been explained, to be explained, by explaining

• एव (eva) - only, just, indeed

• बोध्यन्ते (bodhyante) - are taught, are made to understand

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for

• अल्प-बोधिनः (alpa-bodhinaḥ) - those with little understanding

Words meanings and morphology

एतत्क्रमेण (etatkrameṇa) - by this sequence, in this order, by this method

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of etat-krama

etat-krama - this sequence, this order

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (etas+krama)

• etas – this, that
  pronoun (neuter)
• krama – step, order, sequence, method
  noun (masculine)
  Root: kram (class 1)

हे (he) - O! (vocative particle)

(indeclinable)

ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - O Brahmin, O holy person

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of brahman

brahman - a Brahmin, one who knows (brahman)

वद (vada) - speak, tell, explain

(verb)

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

Root: vad (class 1)

मे (me) - to me, for me

(pronoun)

singular of mad

mad - I, me (first person pronoun)

वदताम् (vadatām) - of those who speak, among speakers

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of vadat

vadat - speaking, telling, explaining

Present Active Participle

Derived from root vad (to speak) with śatṛ affix.

Root: vad (class 1)

वर (vara) - best, excellent, superior

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, superior; a boon

आदितः (āditaḥ) - from the beginning, firstly

(indeclinable)

Note: Used as an ablative adverb, meaning 'from the beginning'.

प्रतिपाद्या (pratipādyā) - having been explained, to be explained, by explaining

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of pratipādya

pratipādya - to be explained, to be demonstrated

Gerundive (karmaṇi prayogya)

Derived from root pad (to go) with upasarga prati and suffix ṇyat.

Prefix: prati

Root: pad (class 4)

Note: Used here adverbially, 'by explaining' or 'by means of explanation'.

एव (eva) - only, just, indeed

(indeclinable)

बोध्यन्ते (bodhyante) - are taught, are made to understand

(verb)

3rd person , plural, passive, present (lat) of budh

Root: budh (class 1)

Note: Derived from causative of budh, then passive suffix.

हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for

(indeclinable)

अल्प-बोधिनः (alpa-bodhinaḥ) - those with little understanding

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of alpa-bodhin

alpa-bodhin - having little knowledge or understanding

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (alpa+bodhin)

• alpa – little, small, few
  adjective (masculine)
• bodhin – knowing, understanding, intelligent
  adjective (masculine)
  From root budh + ṇini suffix.
  Root: budh (class 1)