योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-26, verse-4

अहो बत विचित्राणि वासनावशतोऽवशैः ।
भूतकैरनुभूयन्ते सुखदुःखानि जन्मसु ॥ ४ ॥

aho bata vicitrāṇi vāsanāvaśato'vaśaiḥ ,
bhūtakairanubhūyante sukhaduḥkhāni janmasu 4

4. aho bata vicitrāṇi vāsanāvaśataḥ avaśaiḥ
bhūtakaiḥ anubhūyante sukhaduḥkhāni janmasu

4. aho bata vāsanāvaśataḥ avaśaiḥ bhūtakaiḥ
janmasu vicitrāṇi sukhaduḥkhāni anubhūyante

4. Oh, alas! How indeed wondrous and varied are the joys and sorrows (sukhaduḥkha) that are experienced by helpless creatures in their successive births, all due to the overwhelming influence of their inherent latent impressions (vāsanā).

Words meanings summery:

• अहो (aho) - an exclamation of wonder or sorrow (Oh!, Alas!, Ah!)

• बत (bata) - an exclamation emphasizing wonder or regret (indeed, alas, certainly)

• विचित्राणि (vicitrāṇi) - diverse and often perplexing (various, strange, wonderful, variegated)

• वासनावशतः (vāsanāvaśataḥ) - because of the strong influence of accumulated subconscious tendencies (vāsanā) (due to the power of latent impressions, by the force of predispositions)

• अवशैः (avaśaiḥ) - by beings who are powerless over their circumstances (by the helpless, by those without control, by the uncontrolled)

• भूतकैः (bhūtakaiḥ) - by living entities, implying their transient or material nature (by beings, by creatures, by mere entities)

• अनुभूयन्ते (anubhūyante) - are undergoing experience (are experienced, are felt)

• सुखदुःखानि (sukhaduḥkhāni) - the dualities of pleasant and unpleasant experiences (joys and sorrows, pleasures and pains)

• जन्मसु (janmasu) - across multiple cycles of existence (saṃsāra) (in births, in lives)

Words meanings and morphology

अहो (aho) - an exclamation of wonder or sorrow (Oh!, Alas!, Ah!)

(indeclinable)

बत (bata) - an exclamation emphasizing wonder or regret (indeed, alas, certainly)

(indeclinable)

Note: Often used with `aho` for stronger emphasis.

विचित्राणि (vicitrāṇi) - diverse and often perplexing (various, strange, wonderful, variegated)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, plural of vicitra

vicitra - various, strange, wonderful, variegated

Note: Agrees with `sukhaduḥkhāni`.

वासनावशतः (vāsanāvaśataḥ) - because of the strong influence of accumulated subconscious tendencies (vāsanā) (due to the power of latent impressions, by the force of predispositions)

(indeclinable)

Ablative suffix -tas added to vāsanāvaśa (under the sway of vāsanā).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (vāsanā+vaśa)

• vāsanā – latent impression, subconscious tendency, desire, habit
  noun (feminine)
  From √vas (to dwell, to perfume) + -anā suffix.
  Root: vas (class 1)
• vaśa – power, control, sway, submission
  noun (masculine)

Note: Used adverbially to denote cause.

अवशैः (avaśaiḥ) - by beings who are powerless over their circumstances (by the helpless, by those without control, by the uncontrolled)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of avaśa

avaśa - helpless, powerless, uncontrolled, dependent

Negative prefix a- + vaśa (control).

Note: Agrees with `bhūtakaiḥ`.

भूतकैः (bhūtakaiḥ) - by living entities, implying their transient or material nature (by beings, by creatures, by mere entities)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of bhūtaka

bhūtaka - being, creature, entity

From bhūta (being, creature, past participle of √bhū 'to be') + -ka (diminutive/referential suffix).

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: This instrumental plural is agent of passive verb `anubhūyante`.

अनुभूयन्ते (anubhūyante) - are undergoing experience (are experienced, are felt)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, passive, present (laṭ) of anubhū

Present Passive

From prefix anu- + √bhū (to be, to become). Passive form.

Prefix: anu

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: The subject is `sukhaduḥkhāni`.

सुखदुःखानि (sukhaduḥkhāni) - the dualities of pleasant and unpleasant experiences (joys and sorrows, pleasures and pains)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, plural of sukhaduḥkha

sukhaduḥkha - joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain

Compound type : dvandva (sukha+duḥkha)

• sukha – joy, happiness, pleasure, ease
  noun (neuter)
• duḥkha – sorrow, pain, suffering, misery
  noun (neuter)

Note: Subject of the passive verb.

जन्मसु (janmasu) - across multiple cycles of existence (saṃsāra) (in births, in lives)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, plural of janman

janman - birth, origin, existence, life

From √jan (to be born) + -man suffix.

Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Refers to the cycle of rebirths (saṃsāra).

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