योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-4, chapter-35, verse-26

स्वविकल्पान्नरस्तत्र प्रसार्य रचयत्यलम् ।
जालमात्मनिबन्धाय कोशकारकृमिर्यथा ॥ २६ ॥

svavikalpānnarastatra prasārya racayatyalam ,
jālamātmanibandhāya kośakārakṛmiryathā 26

26. svavikalpān naraḥ tatra prasārya racayati
alam jālam ātmanibandhāya kośakārakṛmiḥ yathā

26. tatra naraḥ svavikalpān prasārya,
ātmanibandhāya jālam alam racayati,
yathā kośakārakṛmiḥ.

26. There, the individual (nara), having spread out its own mental constructs (vikalpa), abundantly creates a net for its own bondage, just like the silkworm creates its cocoon.

Words meanings summery:

• स्वविकल्पान् (svavikalpān) - the individual's own conceptualizations or choices (one's own mental constructs/imaginings)

• नरः (naraḥ) - the individual person, the jīva (man, individual)

• तत्र (tatra) - in that state of existence or mental sphere (there, in that place, then)

• प्रसार्य (prasārya) - by elaborating or projecting its mental constructs (having spread out, having extended)

• रचयति (racayati) - constructs, brings into being (creates, arranges, composes, forms)

• अलम् (alam) - to a great extent, excessively (enough, sufficiently, abundantly, greatly)

• जालम् (jālam) - a snare or trap, metaphorically referring to its own self-made limitations (net, web, snare)

• आत्मनिबन्धाय (ātmanibandhāya) - for the purpose of its own entrapment or limitation (for self-bondage, for its own confinement)

• कोशकारकृमिः (kośakārakṛmiḥ) - cocoon-making worm, silkworm

• यथा (yathā) - introduces the simile (as, just as, like)

Words meanings and morphology

स्वविकल्पान् (svavikalpān) - the individual's own conceptualizations or choices (one's own mental constructs/imaginings)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of svavikalpa

svavikalpa - one's own mental construct, one's own option/choice

Compound type : tatpurusha (sva+vikalpa)

• sva – one's own, self
  pronoun (masculine)
• vikalpa – option, alternative, mental construct, imagination
  noun (masculine)

Note: Object of `prasārya`.

नरः (naraḥ) - the individual person, the jīva (man, individual)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nara

nara - man, person, human being

Note: Subject of the sentence.

तत्र (tatra) - in that state of existence or mental sphere (there, in that place, then)

(indeclinable)

प्रसार्य (prasārya) - by elaborating or projecting its mental constructs (having spread out, having extended)

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

From root sṛ- (to spread) with prefix pra- and suffix -ya

Prefix: pra

Root: sṛ (class 1)

Note: Denotes action completed before `racayati`.

रचयति (racayati) - constructs, brings into being (creates, arranges, composes, forms)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present indicative (laṭ) of rac

Present Indicative

From root rac- (to arrange, make, create)

Root: rac (class 10)

अलम् (alam) - to a great extent, excessively (enough, sufficiently, abundantly, greatly)

(indeclinable)

जालम् (jālam) - a snare or trap, metaphorically referring to its own self-made limitations (net, web, snare)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of jāla

jāla - net, web, snare, trap, illusion

Note: Object of `racayati`.

आत्मनिबन्धाय (ātmanibandhāya) - for the purpose of its own entrapment or limitation (for self-bondage, for its own confinement)

(noun)

Dative, masculine, singular of ātmanibandha

ātmanibandha - self-bondage, self-confinement

Compound type : tatpurusha (ātman+nibandha)

• ātman – self, soul, spirit
  noun (masculine)
• nibandha – bondage, tying, restraint, connection
  noun (masculine)
  From root bandh- (to bind) with prefix ni-
  Prefix: ni
  Root: bandh (class 9)

Note: Indicates purpose.

कोशकारकृमिः (kośakārakṛmiḥ) - cocoon-making worm, silkworm

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kośakārakṛmi

kośakārakṛmi - cocoon-making worm, silkworm

Compound type : tatpurusha (kośa+kāra+kṛmi)

• kośa – cocoon, sheath, treasure, treasury
  noun (masculine)
• kāra – maker, doer, causing
  noun (masculine)
  agent noun
  From root kṛ- (to do, make)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• kṛmi – worm, insect
  noun (masculine)

Note: Part of the simile.

यथा (yathā) - introduces the simile (as, just as, like)

(indeclinable)

Previous Verse Next Verse