योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-10, verse-17

नाहन्त्वं लभ्यते साधो बुद्ध्यालोके निरीक्षितम् ।
असदेव कुतोऽप्येतद्बालयक्ष इवोदितम् ॥ १७ ॥

nāhantvaṃ labhyate sādho buddhyāloke nirīkṣitam ,
asadeva kuto'pyetadbālayakṣa ivoditam 17

17. na ahantvam labhyate sādho buddhi āloke nirīkṣitam
asat eva kutaḥ api etat bāla yakṣa iva uditam

17. sādho buddhi āloke nirīkṣitam ahantvam na labhyate
etat asat eva kutaḥ api bāla yakṣa iva uditam

17. O wise one, the sense of 'I-ness' (ahantva) is not found when examined in the light of intellect (buddhi). This [sense of I-ness] is truly non-existent, having appeared from nowhere, like a goblin conjured by a child's imagination.

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not, no

• अहन्त्वम् (ahantvam) - egoity, the sense of 'I', individuality

• लभ्यते (labhyate) - is obtained, is found, is attained

• साधो (sādho) - O good one, O wise one, O excellent one

• बुद्धि (buddhi) - intellect, understanding, discernment

• आलोके (āloke) - in the light, in the sight, in the scrutiny

• निरीक्षितम् (nirīkṣitam) - observed, examined, seen

• असत् (asat) - non-existent, unreal

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, just

• कुतः (kutaḥ) - from nowhere (whence, from where, why)

• अपि (api) - in combination with 'kutaḥ', implying "from anywhere at all" or "from nowhere in particular" (also, even, from anywhere)

• एतत् (etat) - refers to 'ahantvam' (the sense of I-ness) (this, that)

• बाल (bāla) - child, youthful

• यक्ष (yakṣa) - a conjured, illusory spirit (a type of spirit, goblin, demigod)

• इव (iva) - like, as if, as

• उदितम् (uditam) - arisen, appeared, manifested

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates 'labhyate'.

अहन्त्वम् (ahantvam) - egoity, the sense of 'I', individuality

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ahantva

ahantva - egoity, the sense of 'I' (ahaṅkāra), individuality

aham (I) + tva (suffix for abstract noun)

Note: Subject of 'labhyate'.

लभ्यते (labhyate) - is obtained, is found, is attained

(verb)

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

present passive

3rd person singular present passive of root labh

Root: labh (class 1)

साधो (sādho) - O good one, O wise one, O excellent one

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of sādhu

sādhu - good, virtuous, wise, an ascetic, an accomplished person

Root: sādh (class 5)

Note: Address to a disciple or seeker.

बुद्धि (buddhi) - intellect, understanding, discernment

(noun)

feminine, singular of buddhi

buddhi - intellect (buddhi), understanding, discernment, perception

From root budh (to know, perceive)

Root: budh (class 1)

Note: First part of 'buddhyāloke'.

आलोके (āloke) - in the light, in the sight, in the scrutiny

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of āloka

āloka - light, sight, observation, scrutiny

ā (towards) + lok (to see)

Prefix: ā

Root: lok (class 1)

Note: In 'buddhyāloke' (buddhi + āloke), a tatpurusha compound meaning "in the light of intellect".

निरीक्षितम् (nirīkṣitam) - observed, examined, seen

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of nirīkṣita

nirīkṣita - observed, examined, seen, scrutinized

Past Passive Participle

ni (down, completely) + īkṣ (to see)

Prefixes: nis+ī

Root: īkṣ (class 1)

असत् (asat) - non-existent, unreal

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of asat

asat - non-existent, unreal, false

present active participle

a (not) + sat (existent, present participle of as)

Compound type : nañ-tatpurusha (a+sat)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  negating prefix
• sat – existing, being, good, real
  adjective (masculine)
  present active participle
  from root as (to be)
  Root: as (class 2)

एव (eva) - indeed, only, just

(indeclinable)

कुतः (kutaḥ) - from nowhere (whence, from where, why)

(indeclinable)

Derived from kim (what)

अपि (api) - in combination with 'kutaḥ', implying "from anywhere at all" or "from nowhere in particular" (also, even, from anywhere)

(indeclinable)

एतत् (etat) - refers to 'ahantvam' (the sense of I-ness) (this, that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, that

बाल (bāla) - child, youthful

(noun)

masculine, singular of bāla

bāla - child, young, immature

Note: First part of 'bālayakṣa'.

यक्ष (yakṣa) - a conjured, illusory spirit (a type of spirit, goblin, demigod)

(noun)

masculine, singular of yakṣa

yakṣa - Yakṣa (a class of demigods, often benevolent but sometimes mischievous spirits or goblins)

Root: yaj (class 1)

Note: Second part of 'bālayakṣa'. 'bālayakṣa' (child-goblin) is a tatpurusha compound.

इव (iva) - like, as if, as

(indeclinable)

उदितम् (uditam) - arisen, appeared, manifested

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of udita

udita - arisen, appeared, manifested, said, spoken

Past Passive Participle

ud (up, out) + i (to go). Contextually, "arisen" is better.

Prefix: ud

Root: i (class 2)

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