योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-6, chapter-91, verse-4

अतिशक्तोऽप्यशक्तेन दुःखाद्दुःखं भयाद्भयम् ।
हस्ती हस्तिपकेनेव राजन्मौर्ख्येण नीयसे ॥ ४ ॥

atiśakto'pyaśaktena duḥkhādduḥkhaṃ bhayādbhayam ,
hastī hastipakeneva rājanmaurkhyeṇa nīyase 4

4. ati śaktaḥ api aśaktena duḥkhāt duḥkham bhayāt
bhayam hastī hastipakena iva rājan maurkhyeṇa nīyase

4. rājan ati śaktaḥ api hastī aśaktena hastipakena
iva maurkhyeṇa duḥkhāt duḥkham bhayāt bhayam nīyase

4. O king, although you are exceedingly powerful, you are led by foolishness (maurkya) from sorrow to sorrow, and from fear to fear, just as an elephant is led by its mahout, who is seemingly powerless in comparison.

Words meanings summery:

• अति (ati) - exceedingly (exceedingly, very, highly)

• शक्तः (śaktaḥ) - powerful (referring to the king) (powerful, capable)

• अपि (api) - even though, although (even, also, although)

• अशक्तेन (aśaktena) - by the powerless, by the incapable

• दुःखात् (duḥkhāt) - from sorrow, from pain

• दुःखम् (duḥkham) - sorrow, pain (to sorrow)

• भयात् (bhayāt) - from fear

• भयम् (bhayam) - fear (to fear)

• हस्ती (hastī) - (in the simile) a mighty elephant (elephant)

• हस्तिपकेन (hastipakena) - by the mahout, by the elephant-keeper

• इव (iva) - just as (like, as, as if)

• राजन् (rājan) - O king

• मौर्ख्येण (maurkhyeṇa) - by foolishness, by ignorance

• नीयसे (nīyase) - you are led, you are guided

Words meanings and morphology

अति (ati) - exceedingly (exceedingly, very, highly)

(indeclinable)

शक्तः (śaktaḥ) - powerful (referring to the king) (powerful, capable)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śakta

śakta - powerful, capable, able

past passive participle

From root śak (to be able)

Root: śak (class 5)

Note: functions adjectivally.

अपि (api) - even though, although (even, also, although)

(indeclinable)

अशक्तेन (aśaktena) - by the powerless, by the incapable

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of aśakta

aśakta - powerless, incapable, weak

Compound of 'a' (negation) and 'śakta' (powerful)

Compound type : bahuvrihi (a+śakta)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
• śakta – powerful, capable, able
  adjective (masculine)
  past passive participle
  From root śak (to be able)
  Root: śak (class 5)

Note: Refers to the mahout in the simile.

दुःखात् (duḥkhāt) - from sorrow, from pain

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of duḥkha

duḥkha - pain, sorrow, suffering

दुःखम् (duḥkham) - sorrow, pain (to sorrow)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of duḥkha

duḥkha - pain, sorrow, suffering

भयात् (bhayāt) - from fear

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of bhaya

bhaya - fear, terror

From root bhī (to fear)

Root: bhī (class 3)

भयम् (bhayam) - fear (to fear)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of bhaya

bhaya - fear, terror

From root bhī (to fear)

Root: bhī (class 3)

हस्ती (hastī) - (in the simile) a mighty elephant (elephant)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of hastin

hastin - elephant

हस्तिपकेन (hastipakena) - by the mahout, by the elephant-keeper

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of hastipaka

hastipaka - elephant-keeper, mahout

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (hastin+paka)

• hastin – elephant
  noun (masculine)
• paka – keeper, controller (from pac 'to cook' but also 'to govern')
  noun (masculine)
  Suffix -aka, related to pā (to protect) or pac (to mature/govern)

इव (iva) - just as (like, as, as if)

(indeclinable)

राजन् (rājan) - O king

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

मौर्ख्येण (maurkhyeṇa) - by foolishness, by ignorance

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of maurkhya

maurkhya - foolishness, ignorance, stupidity

Derived from mūrkha (foolish)

नीयसे (nīyase) - you are led, you are guided

(verb)

2nd person , singular, passive, present (lat) of nī

present tense, middle/passive voice, 2nd person singular

From root nī (to lead), passive voice form

Root: nī (class 1)