Sūtra 1-40
परमाणुपरमहत्वान्तोऽस्य वशीकारः। (४०)
Paramāṇuparamamahatvānto’sya vaśīkāraḥ. (40)
Parama-aṇu-parama-mahatva-antaḥ
asya vaśīkāraḥ. (40)
The person’s mastery extends (from the) smallest atom to the biggest object.
Sūtra Words
Parama-aṇu-parama-mahatva-antaḥ, asya, and vaśīkāraḥ.
Word Formation
Parama-aṇu-parama-mahatva-antaḥ — First case singular, masculine gender compound, in apposition with vaśīkāraḥ, another masculine gender noun (in the same case and number). This is a compound within a compound, all are tatpuruṣa compounds. Parama and aṇu form paramāṇu, parama and mahatva form paramamahatva, and these two compounds combine with anta to yield the final compound that is declined in masculine gender.
asya — Sixth case singular of personal pronoun tat in masculine gender.
vaśīkāraḥ — This masculine gender first case word is derived from the verb vaś with suffixes a, i, the verb kṛ and suffix a, a unique formation of a substantive.
Meaning of Words
Parama-aṇu-parama-mahatva-antaḥ — (from the) smallest atom to the largest object. Parama added to aṇu, atom has the adjectival role of creating the superlative form of the noun ‘atom’, hence it is translated as smallest atom. Similarly parama added to mahatva means the largest object, and anta means limit, or end. This compound is translated – from the smallest atom to the biggest object. (This refers to the yogin’s ability to focus on the smallest to the largest gross or subtle object in meditation).
vaśīkāraḥ — mastery