योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-171, verse-55

यस्य त्वेष स्वभावः स्यान्न नाम न स तत्त्ववित् ।
एतदेवाज्ञताचिह्नं यदिच्छा प्रकृतेतरा ॥ ५५ ॥

yasya tveṣa svabhāvaḥ syānna nāma na sa tattvavit ,
etadevājñatācihnaṃ yadicchā prakṛtetarā 55

55. yasya tu eṣaḥ svabhāvaḥ syāt na nāma na saḥ tattvavit
| etat eva ajñatā cihnam yat icchā prakṛtiitarā ||

55. yasya eṣaḥ svabhāvaḥ syāt,
saḥ na nāma na tattvavit.
yat icchā prakṛtiitarā [asti],
etat eva ajñatā-cihnam.

55. If this [desire] were indeed one's intrinsic nature (dharma), then that person would certainly not be a knower of reality. This very desire, which is contrary to [one's true] nature (prakṛti), is a mark of ignorance.

Words meanings summery:

• यस्य (yasya) - whose, of which

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

• एषः (eṣaḥ) - this

• स्वभावः (svabhāvaḥ) - intrinsic nature (dharma) (intrinsic nature, inherent disposition)

• स्यात् (syāt) - may be, should be, would be

• न (na) - not, no

• नाम (nāma) - indeed, by name, truly

• न (na) - not, no

• सः (saḥ) - he, that

• तत्त्ववित् (tattvavit) - knower of reality, knower of truth

• एतत् (etat) - this

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly

• अज्ञता (ajñatā) - ignorance

• चिह्नम् (cihnam) - mark, sign, characteristic

• यत् (yat) - which, that

• इच्छा (icchā) - desire, wish

• प्रकृतिइतरा (prakṛtiitarā) - different from nature, other than nature

Words meanings and morphology

यस्य (yasya) - whose, of which

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of yad

yad - which, what

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

(indeclinable)

एषः (eṣaḥ) - this

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of etad

etad - this

Note: Refers to 'desire' (icchā) implied from context.

स्वभावः (svabhāvaḥ) - intrinsic nature (dharma) (intrinsic nature, inherent disposition)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of svabhāva

svabhāva - one's own nature, intrinsic quality, inherent disposition

Compound of 'sva' (own) + 'bhāva' (being, state).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sva+bhāva)

• sva – own, one's self
  pronoun
• bhāva – being, existence, state, disposition
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from root 'bhū' (to be).
  Root: bhū (class 1)

स्यात् (syāt) - may be, should be, would be

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of as

Root: as (class 2)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

नाम (nāma) - indeed, by name, truly

(indeclinable)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

सः (saḥ) - he, that

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to the person whose nature is described.

तत्त्ववित् (tattvavit) - knower of reality, knower of truth

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tattvavit

tattvavit - knower of truth/reality

Compound of 'tattva' (truth/reality) + 'vit' (knower, from root vid 'to know').

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (tattva+vit)

• tattva – truth, reality, principle
  noun (neuter)
• vit – knower, understanding
  adjective
  Agent noun from root 'vid'
  Formed from root 'vid' (to know) with the suffix -vit.
  Root: vid (class 2)

एतत् (etat) - this

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this

Note: Refers to 'icchā' (desire) or the preceding statement.

एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly

(indeclinable)

अज्ञता (ajñatā) - ignorance

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of ajñatā

ajñatā - ignorance, lack of knowledge

Derived from 'ajña' (ignorant) with suffix -tā (feminine abstract noun).

चिह्नम् (cihnam) - mark, sign, characteristic

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of cihna

cihna - mark, sign, token, characteristic

यत् (yat) - which, that

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, what

Note: Introduces a clause explaining 'ajñatā cihnam'.

इच्छा (icchā) - desire, wish

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of icchā

icchā - desire, wish, inclination

From desiderative stem of root 'iṣ' (to wish, desire).

Root: iṣ (class 6)

Note: The subject of the clause 'yat icchā prakṛtiitarā'.

प्रकृतिइतरा (prakṛtiitarā) - different from nature, other than nature

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of prakṛtiitara

prakṛtiitara - other than nature

Compound of 'prakṛti' (nature) + 'itara' (other, different).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (prakṛti+itara)

• prakṛti – nature, origin, fundamental matter
  noun (feminine)
  Derived from 'pra' (before, forth) + root 'kṛ' (to do, make).
  Prefix: pra
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• itara – other, different, distinct, contrary
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Agrees with 'icchā'.