योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-5, chapter-9, verse-26

अयं सोऽहमिति व्यर्थकल्पनाऽसत्स्वरूपिणी ।
अहंकारपिशाचेन किमज्ञवदहं स्थितः ॥ २६ ॥

ayaṃ so'hamiti vyarthakalpanā'satsvarūpiṇī ,
ahaṃkārapiśācena kimajñavadahaṃ sthitaḥ 26

26. ayam saḥ aham iti vyarthakalpanā asatsvarūpiṇī
| ahaṅkārapśācena kim ajñavat aham sthitaḥ ||

26. kim aham ayam saḥ aham iti vyarthakalpanā
asatsvarūpiṇī [sati] ahaṅkārapśācena ajñavat sthitaḥ

26. Why do I remain like an ignorant person, caught by the demon of ego (ahaṅkāra), with this useless, false imagination of 'I am that'?

Words meanings summery:

• अयम् (ayam) - this (referring to 'I') (this, this one (masculine nominative singular))

• सः (saḥ) - that (referring to the ultimate reality or another self) (he, that, that one (masculine nominative singular))

• अहम् (aham) - I

• इति (iti) - thus (introducing quoted thought) (thus, so, in this manner, indicates quoted speech/thought)

• व्यर्थकल्पना (vyarthakalpanā) - useless imagination (useless imagination, fruitless conception)

• असत्स्वरूपिणी (asatsvarūpiṇī) - false in essence (having an unreal nature, whose form is untrue, false in essence)

• अहङ्कारप्शाचेन (ahaṅkārapśācena) - by the demon of ego (ahaṅkāra) (by the demon of ego)

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

• अज्ञवत् (ajñavat) - like an ignorant person (like an ignorant person, as if ignorant)

• अहम् (aham) - I

• स्थितः (sthitaḥ) - do I remain (stood, remained, situated, existing)

Words meanings and morphology

अयम् (ayam) - this (referring to 'I') (this, this one (masculine nominative singular))

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this one

Nominative singular masculine form of the demonstrative pronoun 'idam'

Note: Part of the expression 'ayam saḥ aham' (This is that I / I am that).

सः (saḥ) - that (referring to the ultimate reality or another self) (he, that, that one (masculine nominative singular))

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Nominative singular masculine form of the demonstrative pronoun 'tad'

Note: Part of the expression 'ayam saḥ aham'.

अहम् (aham) - I

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, we

Nominative singular form of the first person pronoun 'asmad'

Note: First person singular pronoun.

इति (iti) - thus (introducing quoted thought) (thus, so, in this manner, indicates quoted speech/thought)

(indeclinable)

Particle

Note: Follows the direct thought/statement 'ayam saḥ aham'.

व्यर्थकल्पना (vyarthakalpanā) - useless imagination (useless imagination, fruitless conception)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of vyarthakalpanā

vyarthakalpanā - useless imagination

Compound type : karmadhāraya (vyartha+kalpanā)

• vyartha – useless, meaningless, vain
  adjective
  Compound of 'vi' (without) and 'artha' (purpose/meaning)
• kalpanā – imagination, conception, mental creation
  noun (feminine)
  Derived from root 'kḷp' (to arrange, conceive)
  Root: kḷp (class 1)

Note: Refers to the 'I am that' thought.

असत्स्वरूपिणी (asatsvarūpiṇī) - false in essence (having an unreal nature, whose form is untrue, false in essence)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of asatsvarūpin

asatsvarūpin - having an unreal nature

Feminine form of 'asatsvarūpin'. Formed as a Bahuvrihi compound 'asat-svarūpa' with possessive suffix 'in'.

Compound type : bahuvrihi (asat+svarūpa)

• asat – unreal, non-existent, false
  adjective
  Compound of 'a' (negation) and 'sat' (existent, real)
  Prefix: a
  Root: as (class 2)
• svarūpa – one's own form or nature, essential nature
  noun (neuter)
  Compound of 'sva' (self, own) and 'rūpa' (form)
  Root: rúp (class 1)

Note: Qualifies `vyarthakalpanā`.

अहङ्कारप्शाचेन (ahaṅkārapśācena) - by the demon of ego (ahaṅkāra) (by the demon of ego)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of ahaṅkārapśāca

ahaṅkārapśāca - demon of ego

Compound type : tatpurusha (ahaṅkāra+piśāca)

• ahaṅkāra – ego, egoism, self-consciousness
  noun (masculine)
  Compound of 'aham' (I) and 'kāra' (maker)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• piśāca – demon, goblin, fiend
  noun (masculine)

Note: Indicates the agent by which one is affected.

किम् (kim) - why (what, why, whether)

(indeclinable)

Interrogative particle

Note: Introduces the rhetorical question.

अज्ञवत् (ajñavat) - like an ignorant person (like an ignorant person, as if ignorant)

(indeclinable)

Formed with the suffix '-vat' indicating similarity, from 'ajña' (ignorant)

Prefix: a

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Qualifies the manner of being.

अहम् (aham) - I

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, we

Nominative singular form of the first person pronoun 'asmad'

Note: Subject of the verb `sthitaḥ`.

स्थितः (sthitaḥ) - do I remain (stood, remained, situated, existing)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sthita

sthita - stood, remained, situated, existing

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root 'sthā' (to stand, remain) with suffix -ta

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Agrees with `aham`.