योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-2, chapter-11, verse-40

आपतन्ति प्रतिपदं यथाकालं दहन्ति च ।
दुःखचिन्ता नरं मूढं तृणमग्निशिखा इव ॥ ४० ॥

āpatanti pratipadaṃ yathākālaṃ dahanti ca ,
duḥkhacintā naraṃ mūḍhaṃ tṛṇamagniśikhā iva 40

40. āpatanti pratipadam yathākālam dahanti ca
duḥkhacintā naram mūḍham tṛṇam agniśikhā iva

40. duḥkhacintā naram mūḍham pratipadam yathākālam
ca āpatanti dahanti tṛṇam agniśikhā iva

40. Sorrows and anxieties constantly beset a foolish man and consume him at the appropriate time, just as fire-flames (burn) grass.

Words meanings summery:

• आपतन्ति (āpatanti) - they fall upon, they attack

• प्रतिपदम् (pratipadam) - at every step, constantly, always

• यथाकालम् (yathākālam) - according to time, at the right time, seasonably

• दहन्ति (dahanti) - they burn, they consume

• च (ca) - and

• दुःखचिन्ता (duḥkhacintā) - sorrow and anxiety

• नरम् (naram) - man, human being

• मूढम् (mūḍham) - foolish, bewildered, ignorant

• तृणम् (tṛṇam) - grass, straw

• अग्निशिखा (agniśikhā) - flame of fire, fire-blaze

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

Words meanings and morphology

आपतन्ति (āpatanti) - they fall upon, they attack

(verb)

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

present indicative, active voice, 3rd person plural

from ā + pat

Prefix: ā

Root: pat (class 1)

प्रतिपदम् (pratipadam) - at every step, constantly, always

(indeclinable)

from prati (towards, for) + pada (foot, step)

Note: accusative form used adverbially

यथाकालम् (yathākālam) - according to time, at the right time, seasonably

(indeclinable)

from yathā (as) + kāla (time)

Note: accusative form used adverbially

दहन्ति (dahanti) - they burn, they consume

(verb)

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

present indicative, active voice, 3rd person plural

from root dah

Root: dah (class 1)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

दुःखचिन्ता (duḥkhacintā) - sorrow and anxiety

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of duḥkhacintā

duḥkhacintā - sorrow-worry, anxious thought of misery

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (duḥkha+cintā)

• duḥkha – suffering, pain, misery, sorrow
  noun (neuter)
• cintā – thought, worry, anxiety, reflection
  noun (feminine)
  from root cit
  Root: cit (class 1)

नरम् (naram) - man, human being

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of nara

nara - man, human being, person

Root: nṛ (class 1)

मूढम् (mūḍham) - foolish, bewildered, ignorant

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of mūḍha

mūḍha - foolish, stupid, bewildered, ignorant

Past Passive Participle

from root muh (to be bewildered)

Root: muh (class 4)

Note: qualifies naram

तृणम् (tṛṇam) - grass, straw

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tṛṇa

tṛṇa - grass, straw, blade of grass

अग्निशिखा (agniśikhā) - flame of fire, fire-blaze

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of agniśikhā

agniśikhā - flame of fire, fire-blaze

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (agni+śikhā)

• agni – fire, god of fire
  noun (masculine)
• śikhā – flame, crest, topknot
  noun (feminine)

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)