योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-1, chapter-17, verse-47

अहो बत महच्चित्रं तृष्णामपि महाधियः ।
दुच्छेदामपि कृन्तन्ति विवेकेनामलासिना ॥ ४७ ॥

aho bata mahaccitraṃ tṛṣṇāmapi mahādhiyaḥ ,
ducchedāmapi kṛntanti vivekenāmalāsinā 47

47. aho bata mahat citram tṛṣṇām api mahā-dhiyaḥ
ducchedām api kṛntanti vivekena amala-asinā

47. Oh, alas, it is a great wonder! Even those of great intellect, with the immaculate sword of discrimination (viveka), cut down craving (tṛṣṇā), even though it is exceedingly difficult to sever.

47. כמה מפליא הדבר! חכמים בעלי תבונה עמוקה כורתים אפילו את התאווה, שכה קשה להכריתה, בעזרת חרב ההבחנה הצלולה.

Words meanings summery:

• अहो (aho) - Oh!, Ah! (exclamation)

• बत (bata) - alas!, indeed, oh!

• महत् (mahat) - great, large, important

• चित्रम् (citram) - wonder, marvel, strange thing

• तृष्णाम् (tṛṣṇām) - craving, thirst, desire (tṛṣṇā)

• अपि (api) - even (even, also, too)

• महा-धियः (mahā-dhiyaḥ) - those of great intellect/wisdom

• दुच्छेदाम् (ducchedām) - difficult to cut, hard to sever

• अपि (api) - even though (even, also, too)

• कृन्तन्ति (kṛntanti) - they cut, they sever, they tear

• विवेकेन (vivekena) - by discrimination, by discernment (viveka)

• अमल-असिना (amala-asinā) - with the pure sword, with the immaculate sword

Words meanings and morphology

अहो (aho) - Oh!, Ah! (exclamation)

(indeclinable)

बत (bata) - alas!, indeed, oh!

(indeclinable)

महत् (mahat) - great, large, important

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of mahat

mahat - great, large, vast, mighty

चित्रम् (citram) - wonder, marvel, strange thing

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of citra

citra - wonder, marvel, strange thing; also 'painted, variegated'

तृष्णाम् (tṛṣṇām) - craving, thirst, desire (tṛṣṇā)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of tṛṣṇā

tṛṣṇā - thirst, craving, desire, longing

Root: Tṛṣ (class 4)

Note: Object of the verb 'kṛntanti'.

अपि (api) - even (even, also, too)

(indeclinable)

महा-धियः (mahā-dhiyaḥ) - those of great intellect/wisdom

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of mahā-dhī

mahā-dhī - great intellect, great wisdom

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (mahā+dhī)

• mahā – great, large
  adjective
• dhī – intellect, wisdom, thought
  noun (feminine)
  Root: Dhī (class 3)

Note: Subject of the verb 'kṛntanti'.

दुच्छेदाम् (ducchedām) - difficult to cut, hard to sever

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of duccheda

duccheda - difficult to cut, hard to sever

Compound of dus (bad, difficult) and cheda (cutting).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dus+cheda)

• dus – bad, difficult, ill
  indeclinable
• cheda – cutting, severing, dividing
  noun (masculine)
  Verbal noun from root chid (to cut)
  Root: Chid (class 7)

Note: Qualifies 'tṛṣṇām'.

अपि (api) - even though (even, also, too)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes 'ducchedām'.

कृन्तन्ति (kṛntanti) - they cut, they sever, they tear

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of kṛnt

present active indicative

3rd plural, Parasmaipada, from root Kṛt with nasal infix.

Root: Kṛt (class 6)

विवेकेन (vivekena) - by discrimination, by discernment (viveka)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of viveka

viveka - discrimination, discernment, judgment, analysis

From prefix vi- and root vic (to distinguish)

Prefix: vi

Root: Vic (class 7)

Note: Instrument for cutting craving.

अमल-असिना (amala-asinā) - with the pure sword, with the immaculate sword

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of amala-asi

amala-asi - pure sword, immaculate sword

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (amala+asi)

• amala – pure, spotless, immaculate
  adjective
  Prefix 'a-' (not) + 'mala' (dirt/impurity).
  Prefix: a
• asi – sword, scimitar
  noun (masculine)

Note: Metaphorically describes 'vivekena' as a pure sword.

Previous Verse Next Verse