योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-4, chapter-57, verse-11

वृथा भवति बालेषु यथा रागमयी कथा ।
निरर्थकाल्पबोधेषु तथोदारोदया कथा ॥ ११ ॥

vṛthā bhavati bāleṣu yathā rāgamayī kathā ,
nirarthakālpabodheṣu tathodārodayā kathā 11

11. vṛthā bhavati bāleṣu yathā rāgamayī kathā |
nirarthaka-alpa-bodheṣu tathā udāra-udayā kathā ||

11. yathā rāgamayī kathā bāleṣu vṛthā bhavati,
tathā udāra-udayā kathā nirarthaka-alpa-bodheṣu (api) (vṛthā) bhavati.

11. Just as a romantic tale is wasted on children, similarly, a discourse of noble and profound nature is wasted on those with little and meaningless understanding.

Words meanings summery:

• वृथा (vṛthā) - in vain, wasted (in vain, uselessly, fruitlessly)

• भवति (bhavati) - is, becomes (becomes, is, exists)

• बालेषु (bāleṣu) - on children (figuratively for the immature/ignorant) (among children, among the ignorant)

• यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as, in what manner)

• रागमयी (rāgamayī) - romantic, emotional (full of passion, emotional, romantic, colored with emotion)

• कथा (kathā) - a story, a discourse (a story, tale, discourse, narrative)

• निरर्थक-अल्प-बोधेषु (nirarthaka-alpa-bodheṣu) - among those with meaningless and little understanding

• तथा (tathā) - similarly (so, thus, similarly)

• उदार-उदया (udāra-udayā) - of noble and profound nature (referring to a discourse) (of noble/great arising/outcome/nature)

• कथा (kathā) - a story, a discourse (a story, tale, discourse, narrative)

Words meanings and morphology

वृथा (vṛthā) - in vain, wasted (in vain, uselessly, fruitlessly)

(indeclinable)

From vṛt (to turn, exist) + thā (suffix).

Root: vṛt (class 1)

भवति (bhavati) - is, becomes (becomes, is, exists)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of bhū

Present active indicative

Root bhū, 1st conjugation, parasmaipada.

Root: bhū (class 1)

बालेषु (bāleṣu) - on children (figuratively for the immature/ignorant) (among children, among the ignorant)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, plural of bāla

bāla - child, boy, young, ignorant, foolish

यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as, in what manner)

(indeclinable)

रागमयी (rāgamayī) - romantic, emotional (full of passion, emotional, romantic, colored with emotion)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of rāgamaya

rāgamaya - consisting of or pervaded by passion/emotion/color

From rāga (color, passion, emotion) + mayat (suffix for 'full of').

Note: Agrees with kathā.

कथा (kathā) - a story, a discourse (a story, tale, discourse, narrative)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of kathā

kathā - story, tale, narrative, speech

From root kath (to tell, speak).

Root: kath (class 10)

निरर्थक-अल्प-बोधेषु (nirarthaka-alpa-bodheṣu) - among those with meaningless and little understanding

(noun)

Locative, masculine, plural of nirarthaka-alpa-bodha

nirarthaka-alpa-bodha - having meaningless and little understanding

Compound of nirarthaka (meaningless), alpa (little), and bodha (understanding).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (nirarthaka+alpa+bodha)

• nirarthaka – meaningless, useless, without purpose
  adjective (masculine)
  Compound: nir (without) + arthaka (meaning).
  Prefix: nir
• alpa – little, small, few
  adjective (masculine)
• bodha – understanding, knowledge
  noun (masculine)
  From root budh (to know, understand).
  Root: budh (class 1)

Note: Used adjectivally to describe persons in locative plural.

तथा (tathā) - similarly (so, thus, similarly)

(indeclinable)

उदार-उदया (udāra-udayā) - of noble and profound nature (referring to a discourse) (of noble/great arising/outcome/nature)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of udāra-udaya

udāra-udaya - having a noble origin or grand outcome; of noble nature

Compound of udāra (noble, generous) and udaya (rising, origin, prosperity, outcome).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (udāra+udaya)

• udāra – noble, generous, excellent
  adjective (masculine)
• udaya – rising, dawn, origin, prosperity
  noun (masculine)
  From root i (to go) with prefix ud.
  Prefix: ud
  Root: i (class 2)

Note: Agrees with kathā.

कथा (kathā) - a story, a discourse (a story, tale, discourse, narrative)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of kathā

kathā - story, tale, narrative, speech

From root kath (to tell, speak).

Root: kath (class 10)