योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-6, chapter-51, verse-14

आलोकितं नाम कथमवस्तु किल लभ्यते ।
प्रयत्नेनापि संप्राप्तं मृगतृष्णाम्बुकैरिव ॥ १४ ॥

ālokitaṃ nāma kathamavastu kila labhyate ,
prayatnenāpi saṃprāptaṃ mṛgatṛṣṇāmbukairiva 14

14. ālōkitam nāma katham avastu kila labhyate
prayatnena api samprāptam mṛgatṛṣṇāmbukaiḥ iva

14. katham avastu ālōkitam nāma kila mṛgatṛṣṇāmbukaiḥ
iva prayatnena api samprāptam labhyate

14. How can something that is merely perceived, and is fundamentally non-existent (avastu), truly be obtained, even through diligent effort, much like one cannot obtain water from a mirage?

Words meanings summery:

• आल्ओकितम् (ālōkitam) - that which is merely perceived (and thus potentially illusory) (perceived, seen, observed, cognized)

• नाम (nāma) - merely, supposedly, what is called (by name, indeed, it is said, for example)

• कथम् (katham) - how (interrogative particle) (how, in what way, why)

• अवस्तु (avastu) - something that is not truly existent (non-existent thing, unreality, not a thing)

• किल (kila) - indeed, certainly (emphasizing the statement) (indeed, certainly, it is said, verily, perhaps)

• लभ्यते (labhyate) - can be obtained, is acquired (is obtained, is gained, is found)

• प्रयत्नेन (prayatnena) - through diligent effort (by effort, with exertion, through endeavour)

• अपि (api) - even (emphasizing the difficulty or impossibility) (even, also, too, moreover)

• सम्प्राप्तम् (samprāptam) - obtained (as a result of effort) (obtained, gained, acquired, reached)

• मृगतृष्णाम्बुकैः (mṛgatṛṣṇāmbukaiḥ) - by the illusory waters of a mirage (by mirage-waters)

• इव (iva) - like, as (introducing a simile) (like, as, as if)

Words meanings and morphology

आल्ओकितम् (ālōkitam) - that which is merely perceived (and thus potentially illusory) (perceived, seen, observed, cognized)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ālōkita

ālōkita - seen, observed, perceived, illuminated

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root 'lok' with prefix 'ā', forming a past passive participle.

Prefix: ā

Root: lok (class 1)

नाम (nāma) - merely, supposedly, what is called (by name, indeed, it is said, for example)

(indeclinable)

कथम् (katham) - how (interrogative particle) (how, in what way, why)

(indeclinable)

अवस्तु (avastu) - something that is not truly existent (non-existent thing, unreality, not a thing)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of avastu

avastu - unreality, non-existent thing, absence of property

'a' (negation) + 'vastu' (thing, reality)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+vastu)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  negative prefix
• vastu – thing, object, substance, reality
  noun (neuter)

किल (kila) - indeed, certainly (emphasizing the statement) (indeed, certainly, it is said, verily, perhaps)

(indeclinable)

लभ्यते (labhyate) - can be obtained, is acquired (is obtained, is gained, is found)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of labh

Present Passive 3rd Singular

Derived from root 'labh', present passive formation with 'ya' suffix and 'te' ending.

Root: labh (class 1)

प्रयत्नेन (prayatnena) - through diligent effort (by effort, with exertion, through endeavour)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of prayatna

prayatna - effort, exertion, endeavour, attempt

Derived from 'pra-yat' (to strive).

Prefix: pra

Root: yat (class 1)

अपि (api) - even (emphasizing the difficulty or impossibility) (even, also, too, moreover)

(indeclinable)

सम्प्राप्तम् (samprāptam) - obtained (as a result of effort) (obtained, gained, acquired, reached)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of samprāpta

samprāpta - obtained, gained, acquired, reached, arrived

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root 'āp' with prefixes 'sam' and 'pra'.

Prefixes: sam+pra

Root: āp (class 5)

मृगतृष्णाम्बुकैः (mṛgatṛṣṇāmbukaiḥ) - by the illusory waters of a mirage (by mirage-waters)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of mṛgatṛṣṇāmbuka

mṛgatṛṣṇāmbuka - mirage water

Compound of 'mṛgatṛṣṇā' (mirage) and 'ambuka' (water).

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (mṛgatṛṣṇā+ambuka)

• mṛgatṛṣṇā – mirage, deer's thirst
  noun (feminine)
  compound of 'mṛga' (deer) and 'tṛṣṇā' (thirst)
• ambuka – water
  noun (neuter)

इव (iva) - like, as (introducing a simile) (like, as, as if)

(indeclinable)