योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-6, chapter-29, verse-17

देहस्तु पालितोऽप्युच्चैर्नश्यत्येव न वर्धते ।
तेन श्रेष्ठश्चित्रदेहो नायं संकल्पदेहकः ॥ १७ ॥

dehastu pālito'pyuccairnaśyatyeva na vardhate ,
tena śreṣṭhaścitradeho nāyaṃ saṃkalpadehakaḥ 17

17. dehaḥ tu pālitaḥ api uccaiḥ naśyati eva na vardhate
| tena śreṣṭhaḥ citradehaḥ na ayam saṃkalpadehakaḥ ||

17. dehaḥ tu uccaiḥ pālitaḥ api eva naśyati na vardhate
tena citradehaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ ayam saṃkalpadehakaḥ na

17. But the body, even if highly nurtured, certainly perishes; it does not endure. Therefore, the painted body is superior, not this mentally conceived body.

Words meanings summery:

• देहः (dehaḥ) - body

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand

• पालितः (pālitaḥ) - even when it is protected (protected, nourished, preserved)

• अपि (api) - even, also, though

• उच्चैः (uccaiḥ) - with high degree of care or attention (highly, greatly, loudly)

• नश्यति (naśyati) - perishes, is destroyed

• एव (eva) - certainly, indeed, only

• न (na) - not, no

• वर्धते (vardhate) - does not endure or last (grows, increases, prospers, endures)

• तेन (tena) - therefore, by that, on that account

• श्रेष्ठः (śreṣṭhaḥ) - superior, best, excellent

• चित्रदेहः (citradehaḥ) - painted body, pictured body

• न (na) - not, no

• अयम् (ayam) - this, this one

• संकल्पदेहकः (saṁkalpadehakaḥ) - the physical body itself, seen as merely a mental construct (this conceptual/imagined body)

Words meanings and morphology

देहः (dehaḥ) - body

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of deha

deha - body

Note: Subject.

तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects to the previous verse.

पालितः (pālitaḥ) - even when it is protected (protected, nourished, preserved)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pālita

pālita - protected, guarded, nourished, preserved

Past Passive Participle

Derived from the root √pāl (to protect, nourish) with the suffix -ita.

Root: pāl (class 1)

अपि (api) - even, also, though

(indeclinable)

Note: Used with pālitaḥ to mean 'even if nourished'.

उच्चैः (uccaiḥ) - with high degree of care or attention (highly, greatly, loudly)

(indeclinable)

Note: Indicates a high degree of preservation/care.

नश्यति (naśyati) - perishes, is destroyed

(verb)

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

Present Tense, Parasmaipada

Root: naś (class 4)

एव (eva) - certainly, indeed, only

(indeclinable)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Note: Nullifies vardhate.

वर्धते (vardhate) - does not endure or last (grows, increases, prospers, endures)

(verb)

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

Present Tense, Ātmanepada

Root: vṛdh (class 1)

तेन (tena) - therefore, by that, on that account

(pronoun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, this

Note: Connects the conclusion to the previous statement.

श्रेष्ठः (śreṣṭhaḥ) - superior, best, excellent

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śreṣṭha

śreṣṭha - best, most excellent, superior

Superlative of praśasya (praiseworthy).

Note: Predicate adjective for citradehaḥ.

चित्रदेहः (citradehaḥ) - painted body, pictured body

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of citradeha

citradeha - painted body, pictured body, image of a body

Compound of citra (picture, painting) and deha (body).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (citra+deha)

• citra – picture, painting, image, wonderful
  noun (neuter)
• deha – body
  noun (masculine)

Note: Subject.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates ayam saṃkalpadehakaḥ.

अयम् (ayam) - this, this one

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this one

Note: Refers to the saṃkalpadehakaḥ.

संकल्पदेहकः (saṁkalpadehakaḥ) - the physical body itself, seen as merely a mental construct (this conceptual/imagined body)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of saṃkalpadehaka

saṁkalpadehaka - conceptual body, imagined body, mentally formed body

Compound of saṃkalpa (conception, intention, mental formation) and deha (body), with the suffix -ka (diminutive/pejorative).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (saṃkalpa+deha+ka)

• saṃkalpa – conception, intention, mental formation, resolve
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from prefix sam- + root √kḷp (to be arranged, to be fit).
  Prefix: sam
  Root: kḷp (class 1)
• deha – body
  noun (masculine)
• ka – suffix forming diminutives or pejoratives
  suffix (masculine)

Note: Refers to the physical body as an inferior 'conceptual' body compared to the painted image.

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