योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-30, verse-1

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
अहंतैव पराऽविद्या निर्वाणपदरोधिनी ।
तयैवान्विष्यते मूढैस्तदित्युन्मत्तचेष्टितम् ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca ,
ahaṃtaiva parā'vidyā nirvāṇapadarodhinī ,
tayaivānviṣyate mūḍhaistadityunmattaceṣṭitam 1

1. śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | ahaṃtā eva parā avidyā nirvāṇapadarādhinī
| tayā eva anviṣyate mūḍhaiḥ tat iti unmattaceṣṭitam ||

1. śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca ahaṃtā eva parā avidyā,
nirvāṇapadarādhinī tayā eva mūḍhaiḥ tat anviṣyate iti unmattaceṣṭitam

1. Śrī Vasiṣṭha said: The ego-sense (ahaṃtā) itself is the supreme ignorance (avidyā), obstructing the state of liberation (nirvāṇa). To seek [liberation] through that very [ego-sense] by deluded individuals is indeed the behavior of a madman.

Words meanings summery:

• श्रीवसिष्ठ (śrīvasiṣṭha) - the venerable Vasiṣṭha

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• अहंता (ahaṁtā) - ego-sense (ahaṃtā) (ego-sense, 'I'-ness, egotism)

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly, just

• परा (parā) - supreme, highest, ultimate, greatest

• अविद्या (avidyā) - ignorance (avidyā) (ignorance, nescience, spiritual ignorance)

• निर्वाणपदराधिनी (nirvāṇapadarādhinī) - obstructing the state of liberation, hindering the path to nirvāṇa

• तया (tayā) - by her, by that

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly, just

• अन्विष्यते (anviṣyate) - is sought, is investigated, is searched for

• मूढैः (mūḍhaiḥ) - by fools, by deluded ones, by ignorant people

• तत् (tat) - that, therefore

• इति (iti) - thus, so, denoting quotation or reason

• उन्मत्तचेष्टितम् (unmattaceṣṭitam) - behavior of a madman, frenzied activity

Words meanings and morphology

श्रीवसिष्ठ (śrīvasiṣṭha) - the venerable Vasiṣṭha

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śrīvasiṣṭha

śrīvasiṣṭha - Śrī Vasiṣṭha (name of a revered sage)

Compound type : karmadhāraya (śrī+vasiṣṭha)

• śrī – venerable, auspicious, prosperity, glory
  adjective (feminine)
• vasiṣṭha – name of a famous Vedic sage
  proper noun (masculine)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of vac

Root: vac (class 2)

अहंता (ahaṁtā) - ego-sense (ahaṃtā) (ego-sense, 'I'-ness, egotism)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of ahaṃtā

ahaṁtā - ego-sense, 'I'-ness, egotism, individuality

एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly, just

(indeclinable)

परा (parā) - supreme, highest, ultimate, greatest

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of para

para - supreme, highest, ultimate, greatest, other

अविद्या (avidyā) - ignorance (avidyā) (ignorance, nescience, spiritual ignorance)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of avidyā

avidyā - ignorance, nescience, spiritual ignorance, illusion

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+vidyā)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
• vidyā – knowledge, learning, science
  noun (feminine)

निर्वाणपदराधिनी (nirvāṇapadarādhinī) - obstructing the state of liberation, hindering the path to nirvāṇa

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of nirvāṇapadarādhinī

nirvāṇapadarādhinī - obstructing the state of liberation, hindering the path to nirvāṇa

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (nirvāṇa+pada+rodhinī)

• nirvāṇa – liberation, extinction of desires, ultimate freedom
  noun (neuter)
• pada – state, step, foot, abode, position
  noun (neuter)
• rodhinī – obstructing, hindering (feminine agent noun)
  adjective (feminine)
  agent noun/participial adjective
  Root: rudh (class 7)

Note: Agrees with 'avidyā'.

तया (tayā) - by her, by that

(pronoun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to 'ahaṃtā' or 'avidyā'.

एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly, just

(indeclinable)

अन्विष्यते (anviṣyate) - is sought, is investigated, is searched for

(verb)

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

Prefix: anu

Root: iṣ (class 4)

मूढैः (mūḍhaiḥ) - by fools, by deluded ones, by ignorant people

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of mūḍha

mūḍha - foolish, deluded, ignorant; a fool, a simpleton

Past Passive Participle used as noun/adjective

Root: muh (class 4)

तत् (tat) - that, therefore

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to 'nirvāṇapada'.

इति (iti) - thus, so, denoting quotation or reason

(indeclinable)

उन्मत्तचेष्टितम् (unmattaceṣṭitam) - behavior of a madman, frenzied activity

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of unmattaceṣṭita

unmattaceṣṭita - behavior of a madman, frenzied activity

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (unmatta+ceṣṭita)

• unmatta – mad, insane, frenzied, intoxicated
  adjective (masculine/neuter/feminine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Prefix: ud
  Root: mad (class 4)
• ceṣṭita – act, action, behavior, effort
  noun (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle used as noun
  Root: ceṣṭ (class 1)

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