महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-295, verse-25

मत्स्योऽन्यत्वं यथाज्ञानादुदकान्नाभिमन्यते ।
आत्मानं तद्वदज्ञानादन्यत्वं चैव वेद्म्यहम् ॥२५॥

25. matsyo'nyatvaṁ yathājñānādudakānnābhimanyate ,
ātmānaṁ tadvadajñānādanyatvaṁ caiva vedmyaham.

25. matsyaḥ anyatvam yathā ajñānāt udakāt na abhimanyate
| ātmānam tadvat ajñānāt anyatvam ca eva vedmi aham

25. yathā matsyaḥ ajñānāt udakāt anyatvam na abhimanyate
tadvat aham ajñānāt ātmānam anyatvam ca eva vedmi

25. Just as a fish, due to ignorance, does not recognize its distinctness from water (failing to perceive its individual form, yet paradoxically pursuing other fish as if they were separate), similarly, I, due to ignorance, indeed perceive my individual self (ātman) as distinct (from the ultimate reality).

Words meanings summery:

• मत्स्यः (matsyaḥ) - fish

• अन्यत्वम् (anyatvam) - distinctness, separateness, otherness

• यथा (yathā) - just as, as

• अज्ञानात् (ajñānāt) - from ignorance, due to ignorance, owing to lack of knowledge

• उदकात् (udakāt) - from water

• न (na) - not, no

• अभिमन्यते (abhimanyate) - does not perceive/consider (separateness) (considers, thinks, perceives, believes)

• आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - the individual self (ātman) (the self (ātman), soul, individual essence)

• तद्वत् (tadvat) - similarly, in the same way, like that

• अज्ञानात् (ajñānāt) - from ignorance, due to ignorance, owing to lack of knowledge

• अन्यत्वम् (anyatvam) - distinctness, separateness, otherness

• च (ca) - and, also

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, just, exactly

• वेद्मि (vedmi) - I know, I understand, I perceive

• अहम् (aham) - I, myself

Words meanings and morphology

मत्स्यः (matsyaḥ) - fish

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of matsya

matsya - fish

अन्यत्वम् (anyatvam) - distinctness, separateness, otherness

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of anyatva

anyatva - distinctness, separateness, otherness, individuality

From anya + tva (abstract noun suffix)

यथा (yathā) - just as, as

(indeclinable)

अज्ञानात् (ajñānāt) - from ignorance, due to ignorance, owing to lack of knowledge

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of ajñāna

ajñāna - ignorance, nescience, lack of knowledge

Negative prefix 'a-' + jñāna (knowledge)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+jñāna)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix.
• jñāna – knowledge, wisdom, understanding
  noun (neuter)
  From root jñā
  Root: jñā (class 9)

उदकात् (udakāt) - from water

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of udaka

udaka - water

Root: und (class 7)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates the verb or idea.

अभिमन्यते (abhimanyate) - does not perceive/consider (separateness) (considers, thinks, perceives, believes)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of abhiman

Present tense, Middle voice

From prefix 'abhi-' + root 'man' (to think)

Prefix: abhi

Root: man (class 4)

Note: Root man (4th class, Ātmanepada, meaning to think, believe).

आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - the individual self (ātman) (the self (ātman), soul, individual essence)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, spirit, individual essence, the Supreme Soul

Root: an (class 2)

Note: The object of the verb 'vedmi'.

तद्वत् (tadvat) - similarly, in the same way, like that

(indeclinable)

From 'tad' (that) + 'vat' (like, similar)

अज्ञानात् (ajñānāt) - from ignorance, due to ignorance, owing to lack of knowledge

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of ajñāna

ajñāna - ignorance, nescience, lack of knowledge

Negative prefix 'a-' + jñāna (knowledge)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+jñāna)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix.
• jñāna – knowledge, wisdom, understanding
  noun (neuter)
  From root jñā
  Root: jñā (class 9)

अन्यत्वम् (anyatvam) - distinctness, separateness, otherness

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of anyatva

anyatva - distinctness, separateness, otherness, individuality

From anya + tva (abstract noun suffix)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - indeed, only, just, exactly

(indeclinable)

वेद्मि (vedmi) - I know, I understand, I perceive

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of vid

Present tense, Active voice

Irregular verb, belongs to the 2nd class (adādi).

Root: vid (class 2)

Note: Form for 'I know'.

अहम् (aham) - I, myself

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, we, myself, ourselves