योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-81, verse-6

सूर्येष्वविद्यमानेषु महातमसि चाम्बरे ।
स्थिता कथमियं छाया भवेदिति मतिर्मम ॥ ६ ॥

sūryeṣvavidyamāneṣu mahātamasi cāmbare ,
sthitā kathamiyaṃ chāyā bhavediti matirmama 6

6. sūryeṣu avidyamāneṣu mahā-tamasi ca ambare
sthitā katham iyam chāyā bhavet iti matiḥ mama

6. sūryeṣu avidyamāneṣu ca mahā-tamasi ambare,
iyam chāyā katham sthitā bhavet iti mama matiḥ

6. When no suns are present and the sky is enveloped in deep darkness, how could this shadow (chāyā) exist? This is my reflection.

Words meanings summery:

• सूर्येषु (sūryeṣu) - in the suns, among the suns

• अविद्यमानेषु (avidyamāneṣu) - when not existing, being absent

• महा-तमसि (mahā-tamasi) - in great darkness

• च (ca) - and

• अम्बरे (ambare) - in the sky

• स्थिता (sthitā) - standing, existing, situated

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• इयम् (iyam) - this (feminine)

• छाया (chāyā) - shadow, image

• भवेत् (bhavet) - may be, could be, should be

• इति (iti) - thus, so (quotation marker)

• मतिः (matiḥ) - thought, opinion, mind

• मम (mama) - my, of me

Words meanings and morphology

सूर्येषु (sūryeṣu) - in the suns, among the suns

(noun)

Locative, masculine, plural of sūrya

sūrya - sun, solar deity

अविद्यमानेषु (avidyamāneṣu) - when not existing, being absent

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, plural of avidyamāna

vidyamāna - existing, present, being

Present Middle Participle

From root vid (to be, exist) with the negative prefix 'a-'

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+vidyamāna)

• a – not, non-
  prefix
• vidyamāna – existing, being, present
  adjective
  Present Middle Participle
  From root vid (to be, exist)
  Root: vid (class 2)

Note: Used in a locative absolute construction with sūryeṣu

महा-तमसि (mahā-tamasi) - in great darkness

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of mahā-tamas

mahā-tamas - great darkness

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+tamas)

• mahā – great, large, mighty
  adjective
• tamas – darkness, gloom
  noun (neuter)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

अम्बरे (ambare) - in the sky

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of ambara

ambara - sky, atmosphere, garment

स्थिता (sthitā) - standing, existing, situated

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of sthita

sthita - standing, situated, existing, firm

Past Passive Participle

Formed from root sthā (to stand)

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Agrees with chāyā

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

इयम् (iyam) - this (feminine)

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of idam

idam - this, this one

छाया (chāyā) - shadow, image

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of chāyā

chāyā - shadow, shade, reflection, image

भवेत् (bhavet) - may be, could be, should be

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, potential (Liṅ) of bhū

Root: bhū (class 1)

इति (iti) - thus, so (quotation marker)

(indeclinable)

मतिः (matiḥ) - thought, opinion, mind

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of mati

mati - thought, mind, intellect, opinion, intention

Root: man (class 4)

मम (mama) - my, of me

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of asmad

asmad - I, we