योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-5, chapter-20, verse-41

कर्तारोऽपि न कर्तारो यथा दीपा निशागमे ।
आलोककर्मणामेवं तज्ज्ञा लोकस्थिताविह ॥ ४१ ॥

kartāro'pi na kartāro yathā dīpā niśāgame ,
ālokakarmaṇāmevaṃ tajjñā lokasthitāviha 41

41. kartāraḥ api na kartāraḥ yathā dīpāḥ niśāgame
ālokakarmaṇām evam tajjñāḥ lokasthitau iha

41. yathā niśāgame dīpāḥ api kartāraḥ na kartāraḥ
ālokakarmaṇām evam iha lokasthitau tajjñāḥ

41. Just as lamps, even while illuminating at nightfall, are not considered the true agents (kartāraḥ) of those illuminating actions, similarly, these knowers (tajjñāḥ) in this worldly existence (lokasthiti) are not true agents (kartāraḥ).

Words meanings summery:

• कर्तारः (kartāraḥ) - actual agents (of actions) (doers, agents, creators)

• अपि (api) - emphasizing that despite being 'doers' (lamps), they are not agents (even, also, though)

• न (na) - not, no

• कर्तारः (kartāraḥ) - true agents (of actions) (doers, agents, creators)

• यथा (yathā) - just as, as, in the manner that

• दीपाः (dīpāḥ) - lamps, lights

• निशागमे (niśāgame) - at the arrival of night, at nightfall

• आलोककर्मणाम् (ālokakarmaṇām) - of the actions enabled by light (of the actions of illumination/light)

• एवम् (evam) - introduces the comparison to the knowers (thus, in this way, similarly)

• तज्ज्ञाः (tajjñāḥ) - the enlightened individuals mentioned in the previous verse (those knowers (of reality))

• लोकस्थितौ (lokasthitau) - in this mundane realm of actions and experiences (in the worldly state/existence)

• इह (iha) - referring to the present world or existence (here, in this world)

Words meanings and morphology

कर्तारः (kartāraḥ) - actual agents (of actions) (doers, agents, creators)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kartṛ

kartṛ - doer, agent, maker, creator

Agent noun

Derived from root 'kṛ' (to do, make).

Root: kṛ (class 8)

अपि (api) - emphasizing that despite being 'doers' (lamps), they are not agents (even, also, though)

(indeclinable)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

कर्तारः (kartāraḥ) - true agents (of actions) (doers, agents, creators)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kartṛ

kartṛ - doer, agent, maker, creator

Agent noun

Derived from root 'kṛ' (to do, make).

Root: kṛ (class 8)

यथा (yathā) - just as, as, in the manner that

(indeclinable)

Note: Introduces the simile.

दीपाः (dīpāḥ) - lamps, lights

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of dīpa

dīpa - lamp, light, lantern

Derived from root 'dīp' (to shine).

Root: dīp (class 4)

निशागमे (niśāgame) - at the arrival of night, at nightfall

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of niśāgama

niśāgama - arrival of night, nightfall

Compound of 'niśā' (night) and 'āgama' (arrival).

Compound type : tatpurusha (niśā+āgama)

• niśā – night
  noun (feminine)
• āgama – coming, arrival, approach
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from root 'gam' (to go) with prefix 'ā'.
  Prefix: ā
  Root: gam (class 1)

आलोककर्मणाम् (ālokakarmaṇām) - of the actions enabled by light (of the actions of illumination/light)

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, plural of ālokakarman

ālokakarman - action of illumination, action of light

Compound of 'āloka' (light, illumination) and 'karman' (action).

Compound type : tatpurusha (āloka+karman)

• āloka – light, illumination, seeing
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from root 'lok' (to see, perceive) with prefix 'ā'.
  Prefix: ā
  Root: lok (class 10)
• karman – action, deed, work, ritual
  noun (neuter)
  Derived from root 'kṛ' (to do, make).
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Relates to 'kartāraḥ'.

एवम् (evam) - introduces the comparison to the knowers (thus, in this way, similarly)

(indeclinable)

तज्ज्ञाः (tajjñāḥ) - the enlightened individuals mentioned in the previous verse (those knowers (of reality))

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tajjña

tajjña - knower of that, knower of reality/truth

Compound of 'tad' (that) and 'jña' (knower).

Compound type : tatpurusha (tad+jña)

• tad – that, it
  pronoun (neuter)
• jña – knower, knowing
  adjective/noun
  Agent noun
  Derived from root 'jñā' (to know).
  Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Subject of the second part of the simile.

लोकस्थितौ (lokasthitau) - in this mundane realm of actions and experiences (in the worldly state/existence)

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of lokasthiti

lokasthiti - worldly state, worldly existence, condition of the world

Compound of 'loka' (world) and 'sthiti' (state, existence).

Compound type : tatpurusha (loka+sthiti)

• loka – world, realm, people
  noun (masculine)
• sthiti – state, condition, existence, abiding
  noun (feminine)
  Derived from root 'sthā' (to stand).
  Root: sthā (class 1)

इह (iha) - referring to the present world or existence (here, in this world)

(indeclinable)

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