योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-2, chapter-19, verse-4

शान्तिः श्रेयः परं विद्धि तत्प्राप्तौ यत्नवान्भव ।
भोक्तव्यमोदनं प्राप्तं किं तत्सिद्धौ विकल्पितैः ॥ ४ ॥

śāntiḥ śreyaḥ paraṃ viddhi tatprāptau yatnavānbhava ,
bhoktavyamodanaṃ prāptaṃ kiṃ tatsiddhau vikalpitaiḥ 4

4. śāntiḥ śreyaḥ param viddhi tatprāptau yatnavān bhava
bhoktavyam odanam prāptam kim tatsiddhau vikalpitaiḥ

4. śāntiḥ param śreyaḥ viddhi tatprāptau yatnavān bhava
prāptam odanam bhoktavyam tatsiddhau vikalpitaiḥ kim

4. Know that peace (śānti) is the supreme good; be diligent in its attainment. What is the use of intricate deliberations concerning its preparation when the food to be eaten is already at hand?

Words meanings summery:

• शान्तिः (śāntiḥ) - peace, tranquility

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - the highest good, ultimate welfare, bliss

• परम् (param) - supreme, highest, ultimate

• विद्धि (viddhi) - know, understand, realize

• तत्प्राप्तौ (tatprāptau) - in its attainment, in obtaining that

• यत्नवान् (yatnavān) - diligent, striving, assiduous

• भव (bhava) - be, become

• भोक्तव्यम् (bhoktavyam) - to be eaten, eatable

• ओदनम् (odanam) - cooked rice, food

• प्राप्तम् (prāptam) - obtained, acquired, ready, arrived

• किम् (kim) - what use, what for

• तत्सिद्धौ (tatsiddhau) - in its accomplishment, in its preparation

• विकल्पितैः (vikalpitaiḥ) - by distinctions, by elaborate thoughts, by doubts

Words meanings and morphology

शान्तिः (śāntiḥ) - peace, tranquility

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of śānti

śānti - peace, tranquility, calm, cessation

From √śam (to be calm, cease).

Root: śam (class 4)

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - the highest good, ultimate welfare, bliss

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - better, superior, most excellent, welfare, supreme good, salvation

Comparative/superlative form of `śrī` or `praśasya`.

परम् (param) - supreme, highest, ultimate

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of para

para - other, subsequent, distant, supreme, ultimate, highest

विद्धि (viddhi) - know, understand, realize

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of vid

Imperative mood form

Imperative (loṭ) 2nd singular active of √vid (class 2).

Root: vid (class 2)

तत्प्राप्तौ (tatprāptau) - in its attainment, in obtaining that

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of tatprāpti

tatprāpti - the attainment of that

Compound of `tad` (that) and `prāpti` (attainment).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (tad+prāpti)

• tad – that, its
  pronoun (neuter)
  Demonstrative pronoun, neuter singular genitive implied (tasya).
• prāpti – attainment, acquisition, reaching
  noun (feminine)
  From `pra` + √āp (to obtain).
  Prefix: pra
  Root: āp (class 5)

Note: `tat` refers to `śānti`.

यत्नवान् (yatnavān) - diligent, striving, assiduous

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yatnavat

yatnavat - diligent, strenuous, one who strives

Possessive suffix `matup` applied to `yatna` (effort).

Note: Agrees with an implied 'you'.

भव (bhava) - be, become

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of bhū

Imperative mood form

Imperative (loṭ) 2nd singular active of √bhū (class 1).

Root: bhū (class 1)

भोक्तव्यम् (bhoktavyam) - to be eaten, eatable

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of bhoktavya

bhoktavya - to be eaten, eatable, that which should be enjoyed

Gerundive (kṛtya) / Future Passive Participle

From √bhuj (to eat, enjoy) with suffix `tavya`.

Root: bhuj (class 7)

Note: Used as an adjective modifying `odanam`.

ओदनम् (odanam) - cooked rice, food

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of odana

odana - boiled rice, food

From √und (to wet, sprinkle).

Root: und (class 7)

प्राप्तम् (prāptam) - obtained, acquired, ready, arrived

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of prāpta

prāpta - obtained, arrived, reached, acquired

Past Passive Participle

From `pra` + √āp (to obtain).

Prefix: pra

Root: āp (class 5)

किम् (kim) - what use, what for

(indeclinable)

Interrogative pronoun.

Note: Used with instrumental `vikalpitaiḥ` to express 'what is the use of...'.

तत्सिद्धौ (tatsiddhau) - in its accomplishment, in its preparation

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of tatsiddhi

tatsiddhi - its accomplishment, its success, its preparation

Compound of `tad` (that) and `siddhi` (accomplishment).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (tad+siddhi)

• tad – that, its
  pronoun (neuter)
  Demonstrative pronoun, neuter singular genitive implied (tasya).
• siddhi – accomplishment, success, perfection, preparation
  noun (feminine)
  From √sidh (to accomplish, succeed).
  Root: sidh (class 4)

Note: `tat` refers to the `odanam` (food).

विकल्पितैः (vikalpitaiḥ) - by distinctions, by elaborate thoughts, by doubts

(adjective)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of vikalpita

vikalpita - distinguished, differentiated, thought about, doubted, created by imagination

Past Passive Participle

From `vi` + √kḷp (to arrange, produce).

Prefix: vi

Root: kḷp (class 1)

Note: The context implies 'by unnecessary distinctions or detailed thoughts'.

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