योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-5, chapter-13, verse-47

मनः प्रकृत्यैव जडं चित्तत्त्वमनुधावति ।
मांसगर्धेन मार्जारो वने मृगपतिं यथा ॥ ४७ ॥

manaḥ prakṛtyaiva jaḍaṃ cittattvamanudhāvati ,
māṃsagardhena mārjāro vane mṛgapatiṃ yathā 47

47. manaḥ prakṛtyā eva jaḍam cittattvam anudhāvati
māṃsagardhena mārjāraḥ vane mṛgapatim yathā

47. yathā māṃsagardhena mārjāraḥ vane mṛgapatim anudhāvati,
(tathā) manaḥ prakṛtyā eva jaḍam cittattvam anudhāvati.

47. The mind, though inert by its very nature (prakṛti), follows the principle of consciousness (cittattva), just as a cat, driven by its desire for meat, follows the lion (mṛgapati) in the forest.

Words meanings summery:

• मनः (manaḥ) - mind, intellect, heart

• प्रकृत्या (prakṛtyā) - by nature, by intrinsic nature

• एव (eva) - only, just, indeed, alone

• जडम् (jaḍam) - inert, unconscious, dull

• चित्तत्त्वम् (cittattvam) - principle of consciousness, essence of consciousness

• अनुधावति (anudhāvati) - follows, runs after, pursues

• मांसगर्धेन (māṁsagardhena) - by greed for meat

• मार्जारः (mārjāraḥ) - cat

• वने (vane) - in the forest

• मृगपतिम् (mṛgapatim) - the lord of animals, lion

• यथा (yathā) - just as, as, according to

Words meanings and morphology

मनः (manaḥ) - mind, intellect, heart

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of manas

manas - mind, intellect, heart, faculty of thought

Root: man (class 4)

प्रकृत्या (prakṛtyā) - by nature, by intrinsic nature

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of prakṛti

prakṛti - nature, intrinsic nature, primordial matter, material cause

Prefix: pra

Root: kṛ (class 8)

एव (eva) - only, just, indeed, alone

(indeclinable)

जडम् (jaḍam) - inert, unconscious, dull

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of jaḍa

jaḍa - inert, unconscious, dull, cold, stupid

Note: Adjective modifying manaḥ (mind).

चित्तत्त्वम् (cittattvam) - principle of consciousness, essence of consciousness

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of cittattva

cittattva - principle of consciousness, essence of consciousness

Compound type : tatpurusha (cit+tattva)

• cit – consciousness, knowledge
  noun (neuter)
• tattva – truth, reality, principle, essence
  noun (neuter)

Note: Object of anudhāvati.

अनुधावति (anudhāvati) - follows, runs after, pursues

(verb)

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

present active

3rd person singular present active indicative

Prefix: anu

Root: dhāv (class 1)

मांसगर्धेन (māṁsagardhena) - by greed for meat

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of māṃsagardha

māṁsagardha - greed for meat

Compound type : tatpurusha (māṃsa+gardha)

• māṃsa – meat, flesh
  noun (neuter)
• gardha – greed, avidity, eagerness
  noun (masculine)

मार्जारः (mārjāraḥ) - cat

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mārjāra

mārjāra - cat

Note: Subject of the simile.

वने (vane) - in the forest

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of vana

vana - forest, wood, grove

मृगपतिम् (mṛgapatim) - the lord of animals, lion

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of mṛgapati

mṛgapati - lord of animals, lion

Compound type : tatpurusha (mṛga+pati)

• mṛga – animal, deer, game
  noun (masculine)
• pati – lord, master, husband
  noun (masculine)

Note: Object of implied anudhāvati in the simile.

यथा (yathā) - just as, as, according to

(indeclinable)

Note: Introduces the simile.