योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-3, chapter-53, verse-37

यः सर्पप्रत्ययो रज्ज्वां स कथं सर्पकार्यकृत् ।
आत्मन्येव हि यो नास्ति तस्य का कार्यकारिता ॥ ३७ ॥

yaḥ sarpapratyayo rajjvāṃ sa kathaṃ sarpakāryakṛt ,
ātmanyeva hi yo nāsti tasya kā kāryakāritā 37

37. yaḥ sarpapratyayaḥ rajjvām saḥ katham sarpakāryakṛt
ātmani eva hi yaḥ na asti tasya kā kāryakāritā

37. yaḥ rajjvām sarpapratyayaḥ saḥ katham sarpakāryakṛt?
hi yaḥ ātmani eva na asti tasya kā kāryakāritā?

37. How can the perception of a snake in a rope perform the actions of a snake? Indeed, for that which does not exist in the self (ātman), what effectiveness can it possess?

Words meanings summery:

• यः (yaḥ) - who, which, that

• सर्पप्रत्ययः (sarpapratyayaḥ) - perception of a snake, idea of a snake

• रज्ज्वाम् (rajjvām) - in a rope, on a rope

• सः (saḥ) - he, that

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• सर्पकार्यकृत् (sarpakāryakṛt) - performing the actions of a snake, causing the effects of a snake

• आत्मनि (ātmani) - in the self, in the soul, in the spirit

• एव (eva) - only, certainly, indeed

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for

• यः (yaḥ) - who, which, that

• न (na) - not, no

• अस्ति (asti) - is, exists

• तस्य (tasya) - of that, his

• का (kā) - what, which

• कार्यकारिता (kāryakāritā) - effectiveness, capacity to act, ability to cause effects

Words meanings and morphology

यः (yaḥ) - who, which, that

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, that

सर्पप्रत्ययः (sarpapratyayaḥ) - perception of a snake, idea of a snake

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sarpapratyaya

sarpapratyaya - perception of a snake, idea of a snake

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sarpa+pratyaya)

• sarpa – snake, serpent
  noun (masculine)
  Root: sṛp (class 1)
• pratyaya – perception, idea, belief, conviction
  noun (masculine)
  derived from root i with prefixes prati and a
  Prefixes: prati+a
  Root: i (class 2)

रज्ज्वाम् (rajjvām) - in a rope, on a rope

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of rajju

rajju - rope, cord, string

सः (saḥ) - he, that

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

सर्पकार्यकृत् (sarpakāryakṛt) - performing the actions of a snake, causing the effects of a snake

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sarpakāryakṛt

sarpakāryakṛt - performing the actions of a snake, causing the effects of a snake

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sarpa+kārya+kṛt)

• sarpa – snake, serpent
  noun (masculine)
  Root: sṛp (class 1)
• kārya – action, deed, work, effect
  noun (neuter)
  Gerundive
  derived from root kṛ
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• kṛt – making, doing, performing (agent suffix)
  adjective (masculine)
  Agent noun suffix
  Derived from root kṛ
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

आत्मनि (ātmani) - in the self, in the soul, in the spirit

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, spirit, essence, life, Brahman

एव (eva) - only, certainly, indeed

(indeclinable)

हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for

(indeclinable)

यः (yaḥ) - who, which, that

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, that

Note: Refers to the thing that is perceived (e.g., the illusory snake).

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

अस्ति (asti) - is, exists

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (lat) of as

Root: as (class 2)

तस्य (tasya) - of that, his

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Correlate to 'yaḥ'

का (kā) - what, which

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

कार्यकारिता (kāryakāritā) - effectiveness, capacity to act, ability to cause effects

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of kāryakāritā

kāryakāritā - effectiveness, capacity to act, ability to cause effects

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (kārya+kāritā)

• kārya – action, deed, work, effect, to be done
  noun (neuter)
  Gerundive
  derived from root kṛ
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• kāritā – causation, agency, condition of being a doer/agent
  noun (feminine)
  Derived from root kṛ with suffix tā (abstract noun)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)