योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-3, verse-29

प्रवाहपतिते कार्ये ईषत्स्पन्दा अतन्मयाः ।
घूर्णमाना इव क्षीबा यन्त्रसंचारिता इव ॥ २९ ॥

pravāhapatite kārye īṣatspandā atanmayāḥ ,
ghūrṇamānā iva kṣībā yantrasaṃcāritā iva 29

29. pravāhapatite kārye īṣatspandāḥ atanmayāḥ
ghūrṇamānāḥ iva kṣībāḥ yantrasañcāritāḥ iva

29. pravāhapatite kārye īṣatspandāḥ atanmayāḥ
ghūrṇamānāḥ iva kṣībāḥ iva yantrasañcāritāḥ iva

29. In actions (karma) that fall within the natural current (of events), they (the wise) are only slightly active and not identified with them. They are like intoxicated people reeling or like puppets moved by a machine.

Words meanings summery:

• प्रवाहपतिते (pravāhapatite) - Refers to actions that arise spontaneously or as part of the natural unfolding of events, not driven by personal desire. (in the work fallen into the stream, in action that has flowed naturally)

• कार्ये (kārye) - Refers to any deed or task that needs to be done, including karma. (in work, in action, in duty)

• ईषत्स्पन्दाः (īṣatspandāḥ) - Describes the minimal and detached engagement in actions. (with slight movement, having slight vibration)

• अतन्मयाः (atanmayāḥ) - Emphasizes their detachment and lack of personal involvement or ownership in the actions. (not consisting of that, not identified with that)

• घूर्णमानाः (ghūrṇamānāḥ) - Suggests a state of action without conscious control, as if under an external influence. (reeling, whirling, staggering)

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

• क्षीबाः (kṣībāḥ) - Reinforces the idea of acting without conscious self-control, as if under the influence of something else. (intoxicated, drunk, muddled)

• यन्त्रसञ्चारिताः (yantrasañcāritāḥ) - Another simile highlighting involuntary or automatic actions, devoid of egoic agency. (moved by a machine, mechanically operated, like puppets)

• इव (iva) - Introduces the second simile. (like, as, as if)

Words meanings and morphology

प्रवाहपतिते (pravāhapatite) - Refers to actions that arise spontaneously or as part of the natural unfolding of events, not driven by personal desire. (in the work fallen into the stream, in action that has flowed naturally)

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of pravāhapatita

pravāhapatita - fallen into the current, subject to the flow

past passive participle

compound of pravāha (stream, current) and patita (fallen)

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (pravāha+patita)

• pravāha – stream, current, flow
  noun (masculine)
  from pra-vah (to flow forth)
  Prefix: pra
  Root: vah (class 1)
• patita – fallen, descended
  adjective (masculine)
  past passive participle
  from root pat- (to fall)
  Root: pat (class 1)

Note: Adjective modifying kārye.

कार्ये (kārye) - Refers to any deed or task that needs to be done, including karma. (in work, in action, in duty)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of kārya

kārya - work, action, duty, to be done, proper to be done

gerundive (future passive participle)

from root kṛ- (to do) with -ya suffix

Root: kṛ (class 8)

ईषत्स्पन्दाः (īṣatspandāḥ) - Describes the minimal and detached engagement in actions. (with slight movement, having slight vibration)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of īṣatspanda

īṣatspanda - having a slight movement, gently vibrating

compound of īṣat (slightly) and spanda (movement, vibration)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (īṣat+spanda)

• īṣat – slightly, a little
  indeclinable
• spanda – motion, vibration, palpitation
  noun (masculine)
  from root spand- (to tremble)
  Root: spand (class 1)

Note: Refers to the implied subject (the wise).

अतन्मयाः (atanmayāḥ) - Emphasizes their detachment and lack of personal involvement or ownership in the actions. (not consisting of that, not identified with that)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of atanmaya

atanmaya - not consisting of that, not identified with that, not belonging to that

compound of a (negation) and tanmaya (consisting of that)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+tad+maya)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  negation prefix
• tad – that, it
  pronoun (neuter)
• maya – consisting of, full of
  suffix (masculine)
  suffix indicating material or constituent part

Note: Refers to the implied subject (the wise).

घूर्णमानाः (ghūrṇamānāḥ) - Suggests a state of action without conscious control, as if under an external influence. (reeling, whirling, staggering)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of ghūrṇamāna

ghūrṇamāna - reeling, staggering, whirling, trembling

present middle participle

from root ghūrṇ- (to reel, whirl) with -māna suffix

Root: ghūrṇ (class 10)

Note: Functions as an adjective here, describing the wise.

इव (iva) - Introduces a simile. (like, as, as if)

(indeclinable)

क्षीबाः (kṣībāḥ) - Reinforces the idea of acting without conscious self-control, as if under the influence of something else. (intoxicated, drunk, muddled)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kṣība

kṣība - intoxicated, drunk, stupefied, mad

from root kṣi- (to destroy, decline) or kṣīb- (to become intoxicated)

Root: kṣīb (class 1)

Note: Refers to the implied subject (the wise).

यन्त्रसञ्चारिताः (yantrasañcāritāḥ) - Another simile highlighting involuntary or automatic actions, devoid of egoic agency. (moved by a machine, mechanically operated, like puppets)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of yantrasañcārita

yantrasañcārita - moved by a machine, mechanically propelled

past passive participle

compound of yantra (machine, instrument) and sañcārita (moved, set in motion)

Compound type : tṛtīyā-tatpuruṣa (yantra+sañcārita)

• yantra – instrument, machine, device
  noun (neuter)
  from root yam- (to restrain)
  Root: yam (class 1)
• sañcārita – moved, propelled, caused to move
  adjective (masculine)
  causative past passive participle
  from sam-car- (to move about), causative form
  Prefix: sam
  Root: car (class 1)

Note: Functions as an adjective here, describing the wise.

इव (iva) - Introduces the second simile. (like, as, as if)

(indeclinable)

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