योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-5, chapter-74, verse-17

तत्रायमहमागन्ता भोक्ता कर्तेति जायते ।
मुधैवाज्ञाततापोत्था मृगतृष्णेव वासना ॥ १७ ॥

tatrāyamahamāgantā bhoktā karteti jāyate ,
mudhaivājñātatāpotthā mṛgatṛṣṇeva vāsanā 17

17. tatra ayam aham āgantā bhoktā kartā iti jāyate
mudhā eva ajñātatāpotthā mṛgatṛṣṇā iva vāsanā

17. tatra "ayam aham āgantā bhoktā kartā" iti mudhā
eva ajñātatāpotthā mṛgatṛṣṇā iva vāsanā jāyate

17. From that [perception], the thought 'This is I, I am the future experiencer, the enjoyer, the doer' arises. This is truly a futile mental impression (vāsanā), stemming from the suffering of ignorance, just like a mirage.

Words meanings summery:

• तत्र (tatra) - from the state of deluded perception mentioned in the previous verse (there, in that state/case)

• अयम् (ayam) - referring to the empirical ego or the body-mind complex (this (masculine))

• अहम् (aham) - I

• आगन्ता (āgantā) - refers to the individual perceiving oneself as acting and experiencing in the future (one who comes, the future agent, the experiencer)

• भोक्ता (bhoktā) - refers to the individual perceiving oneself as experiencing the fruits of actions (enjoyer, experiencer, consumer)

• कर्ता (kartā) - refers to the individual perceiving oneself as the one performing actions (karma) (doer, agent, creator)

• इति (iti) - marks the end of the deluded self-identification (thus, so, marking direct speech or quotation)

• जायते (jāyate) - is born, arises, happens

• मुधा (mudhā) - in vain, uselessly, fruitlessly

• एव (eva) - indeed, just, only

• अज्ञाततापोत्था (ajñātatāpotthā) - arising from the heat/suffering of ignorance

• मृगतृष्णा (mṛgatṛṣṇā) - mirage, deer's thirst

• इव (iva) - like, as if, similar to

• वासना (vāsanā) - mental impression, predisposition, latent tendency, subtle desire

Words meanings and morphology

तत्र (tatra) - from the state of deluded perception mentioned in the previous verse (there, in that state/case)

(indeclinable)

Formed from demonstrative pronoun stem `tad` + suffix `tra`.

अयम् (ayam) - referring to the empirical ego or the body-mind complex (this (masculine))

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, these

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Part of the quoted thought.

अहम् (aham) - I

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, we

First person pronoun.

Note: Part of the quoted thought.

आगन्ता (āgantā) - refers to the individual perceiving oneself as acting and experiencing in the future (one who comes, the future agent, the experiencer)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of āgantṛ

āgantṛ - one who is to come, future agent, visitor

Future Active Participle

From `ā-√gam` (to come) + suffix `-tṛ`.

Prefix: ā

Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Part of the quoted thought.

भोक्ता (bhoktā) - refers to the individual perceiving oneself as experiencing the fruits of actions (enjoyer, experiencer, consumer)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhoktṛ

bhoktṛ - enjoyer, experiencer, consumer

Agent Noun

From `√bhuj` (to enjoy, eat) + suffix `-tṛ`.

Root: bhuj (class 7)

Note: Part of the quoted thought.

कर्ता (kartā) - refers to the individual perceiving oneself as the one performing actions (karma) (doer, agent, creator)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kartṛ

kartṛ - doer, agent, maker

Agent Noun

From `√kṛ` (to do, make) + suffix `-tṛ`.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Part of the quoted thought. Refers to the concept of action (karma).

इति (iti) - marks the end of the deluded self-identification (thus, so, marking direct speech or quotation)

(indeclinable)

Particle marking quotation or conclusion.

जायते (jāyate) - is born, arises, happens

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of jan

Middle voice

From root `√jan` (to be born), Class 4, middle voice.

Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Its subject is `vāsanā`.

मुधा (mudhā) - in vain, uselessly, fruitlessly

(indeclinable)

Adverb.

Note: Modifies `jāyate`.

एव (eva) - indeed, just, only

(indeclinable)

Emphatic particle.

Note: Emphasizes `mudhā`.

अज्ञाततापोत्था (ajñātatāpotthā) - arising from the heat/suffering of ignorance

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of ajñātatāpottha

ajñātatāpottha - born from the heat/suffering of ignorance

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (ajñāta+tāpa+uttha)

• ajñāta – unknown, ignorant, not known
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  `a-` (not) + `jñāta` (known, from `√jñā`).
  Prefix: a
  Root: jñā (class 9)
• tāpa – heat, suffering, pain, torment
  noun (masculine)
  From `√tap` (to heat, torment).
  Root: tap (class 1)
• uttha – arisen from, produced from, standing up
  adjective
  From `ut-√sthā` (to rise) + suffix `-a`.
  Prefix: ut
  Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Agrees with `vāsanā`.

मृगतृष्णा (mṛgatṛṣṇā) - mirage, deer's thirst

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of mṛgatṛṣṇā

mṛgatṛṣṇā - mirage, deer's thirst

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (mṛga+tṛṣṇā)

• mṛga – deer, animal, game
  noun (masculine)
• tṛṣṇā – thirst, craving, desire
  noun (feminine)
  From `√tṛṣ` (to thirst).
  Root: tṛṣ (class 4)

Note: Part of the simile.

इव (iva) - like, as if, similar to

(indeclinable)

Particle of comparison.

Note: Connects `mṛgatṛṣṇā` to `vāsanā`.

वासना (vāsanā) - mental impression, predisposition, latent tendency, subtle desire

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of vāsanā

vāsanā - mental impression, latent tendency, residual trace of past action or experience, subtle desire

From `√vas` (to dwell, perfume).

Root: vas (class 1)

Note: Refers to the concept of mental impressions (vāsanā).