योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-5, chapter-25, verse-18

कोऽयं तावदहं किं स्यादात्मेत्यात्मावलोकनम् ।
पृच्छाम्यौशनसं नाथं नूनमज्ञानशान्तये ॥ १८ ॥

ko'yaṃ tāvadahaṃ kiṃ syādātmetyātmāvalokanam ,
pṛcchāmyauśanasaṃ nāthaṃ nūnamajñānaśāntaye 18

18. kaḥ ayam tāvat aham kim syāt ātmā iti ātmāvalokanam
pṛcchāmi auśanasam nātham nūnam ajñānaśāntaye

18. aham kaḥ tāvat ātmā kim syāt iti ātmāvalokanam
nūnam ajñānaśāntaye auśanasam nātham pṛcchāmi

18. Who exactly am I? What might the Self (ātman) be? For the purpose of such self-reflection (ātmāvalokanam), and indeed for the cessation of my ignorance (ajñāna), I shall certainly ask my master, Auśanasa (Śukra).

Words meanings summery:

• कः (kaḥ) - who (who, what)

• अयम् (ayam) - this (referring to 'I') (this (masculine))

• तावत् (tāvat) - indeed, exactly (so much, then, indeed, as far as, still)

• अहम् (aham) - I

• किम् (kim) - what (what, which, why)

• स्यात् (syāt) - might be, would be (may be, should be, would be)

• आत्मा (ātmā) - the Self (ātman) (self, soul, Self)

• इति (iti) - thus (marks the end of the quoted thought) (thus, so, in this manner (marks direct or indirect speech/thought))

• आत्मावलोकनम् (ātmāvalokanam) - self-reflection (ātmāvalokanam), referring to the inquiry mentioned (self-reflection, contemplation of the Self)

• पृच्छामि (pṛcchāmi) - I shall ask (I ask, I question)

• औशनसम् (auśanasam) - Auśanasa (Śukra) (belonging to Uśanas, son of Uśanas (Śukra))

• नाथम् (nātham) - master, lord (lord, protector, master, refuge)

• नूनम् (nūnam) - certainly, indeed (certainly, indeed, assuredly)

• अज्ञानशान्तये (ajñānaśāntaye) - for the cessation of ignorance (ajñāna) (for the cessation of ignorance, for the calming of ignorance)

Words meanings and morphology

कः (kaḥ) - who (who, what)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

अयम् (ayam) - this (referring to 'I') (this (masculine))

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this

तावत् (tāvat) - indeed, exactly (so much, then, indeed, as far as, still)

(indeclinable)

अहम् (aham) - I

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of asmad

asmad - I

Note: Subject of the implicit verb in the question, and also 'pṛcchāmi'.

किम् (kim) - what (what, which, why)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, which, why

स्यात् (syāt) - might be, would be (may be, should be, would be)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of as

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Expresses possibility or potential.

आत्मा (ātmā) - the Self (ātman) (self, soul, Self)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, spirit, the Self

Root: an (class 2)

Note: Subject of 'syāt'.

इति (iti) - thus (marks the end of the quoted thought) (thus, so, in this manner (marks direct or indirect speech/thought))

(indeclinable)

आत्मावलोकनम् (ātmāvalokanam) - self-reflection (ātmāvalokanam), referring to the inquiry mentioned (self-reflection, contemplation of the Self)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of ātmāvalokana

ātmāvalokana - self-reflection, contemplation of the Self, introspection

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ātman+avalokana)

• ātman – self, soul, spirit, the Self
  noun (masculine)
  Root: an (class 2)
• avalokana – seeing, looking, observation, contemplation
  noun (neuter)
  From 'ava' (down) + root 'lok' (to see) + 'ana' suffix.
  Prefix: ava
  Root: lok (class 1)

Note: Acts as the object of 'pṛcchāmi' (I ask for self-reflection).

पृच्छामि (pṛcchāmi) - I shall ask (I ask, I question)

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of prach

Root: prach (class 6)

औशनसम् (auśanasam) - Auśanasa (Śukra) (belonging to Uśanas, son of Uśanas (Śukra))

(proper noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of auśanasa

auśanasa - relating to Uśanas, son of Uśanas (specifically, Śukra, the guru of the Asuras)

Patronymic noun derived from 'Uśanas'.

Note: Object of 'pṛcchāmi'.

नाथम् (nātham) - master, lord (lord, protector, master, refuge)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of nātha

nātha - lord, protector, master, refuge

Root: nāth (class 1)

Note: Appositive to 'auśanasam'.

नूनम् (nūnam) - certainly, indeed (certainly, indeed, assuredly)

(indeclinable)

अज्ञानशान्तये (ajñānaśāntaye) - for the cessation of ignorance (ajñāna) (for the cessation of ignorance, for the calming of ignorance)

(noun)

Dative, feminine, singular of ajñānaśānti

ajñānaśānti - cessation of ignorance, peace from ignorance

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ajñāna+śānti)

• ajñāna – ignorance, nescience, spiritual ignorance
  noun (neuter)
  Prefix 'a-' (negation) + 'jñāna' (knowledge).
  Prefix: a
  Root: jñā (class 9)
• śānti – peace, tranquility, cessation, calming, appeasement
  noun (feminine)
  From root 'śam' (to be calm) + 'ti' suffix.
  Root: śam (class 4)

Note: Indicates purpose.