योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-31, verse-16

वासनैवेह पुरुषः प्रेक्षिता सा न विद्यते ।
तां च न प्रेक्षते कश्चित्ततः संसार आगतः ॥ १६ ॥

vāsanaiveha puruṣaḥ prekṣitā sā na vidyate ,
tāṃ ca na prekṣate kaścittataḥ saṃsāra āgataḥ 16

16. vāsanā eva iha puruṣaḥ prekṣitā sā na vidyate
tām ca na prekṣate kaścit tataḥ saṃsāraḥ āgataḥ

16. iha puruṣaḥ vāsanā eva sā prekṣitā na vidyate
ca kaścit tām na prekṣate tataḥ saṃsāraḥ āgataḥ

16. Here, the individual (puruṣa) is essentially just latent tendencies (vāsanā). When these tendencies are observed, they no longer exist. However, because no one observes them, the cycle of transmigration (saṃsāra) arises.

Words meanings summery:

• वासना (vāsanā) - latent impression, subtle desire, habit, tendency (vāsanā)

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

• इह (iha) - here, in this world, in this context

• पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - a conscious being, individual soul, person, spirit (puruṣa)

• प्रेक्षिता (prekṣitā) - seen, observed, perceived

• सा (sā) - she, that (referring to 'vāsanā')

• न (na) - not, no

• विद्यते (vidyate) - exists, is found, is present

• ताम् (tām) - her, that (feminine singular accusative, referring to 'vāsanā')

• च (ca) - and, also, moreover

• न (na) - not, no

• प्रेक्षते (prekṣate) - observes, sees, looks at

• कश्चित् (kaścit) - someone, anyone, no one (in a negative context)

• ततः (tataḥ) - therefore, thence, from that

• संसारः (saṁsāraḥ) - transmigration, the cycle of birth and death (saṃsāra)

• आगतः (āgataḥ) - has come, arrived, arisen, occurred

Words meanings and morphology

वासना (vāsanā) - latent impression, subtle desire, habit, tendency (vāsanā)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of vāsanā

vāsanā - latent impression, subconscious tendency, desire, habit, mental predisposition (vāsanā)

From root vas-4, to dwell, to impress.

Root: vas (class 4)

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

(indeclinable)

इह (iha) - here, in this world, in this context

(indeclinable)

पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - a conscious being, individual soul, person, spirit (puruṣa)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of puruṣa

puruṣa - man, male, person, spirit, soul, the supreme cosmic person (puruṣa)

प्रेक्षिता (prekṣitā) - seen, observed, perceived

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of prekṣita

prekṣita - seen, observed, looked at, examined

Past Passive Participle

From root īkṣ-1, to see, with prefix pra

Prefix: pra

Root: īkṣ (class 1)

सा (sā) - she, that (referring to 'vāsanā')

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it, they

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

विद्यते (vidyate) - exists, is found, is present

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present indicative (laṭ) of vid

Root: vid (class 4)

ताम् (tām) - her, that (feminine singular accusative, referring to 'vāsanā')

(pronoun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it, they

च (ca) - and, also, moreover

(indeclinable)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

प्रेक्षते (prekṣate) - observes, sees, looks at

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present indicative (laṭ) of prekṣ

Prefix: pra

Root: īkṣ (class 1)

कश्चित् (kaścit) - someone, anyone, no one (in a negative context)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kaścid

kaścid - someone, anyone, a certain one

Compound of 'kim' (what) and 'cid' (a particle for indefiniteness)

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (kim+cit)

• kim – who, what, which
  pronoun (neuter)
• cit – a particle expressing indefiniteness, 'some'
  indeclinable

ततः (tataḥ) - therefore, thence, from that

(indeclinable)

Ablative ending '-tas' from 'tad' (that)

संसारः (saṁsāraḥ) - transmigration, the cycle of birth and death (saṃsāra)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of saṃsāra

saṁsāra - flowing together, course, passage, the cycle of rebirth, transmigration (saṃsāra)

From root sṛ-1, to flow, with prefix sam

Prefix: sam

Root: sṛ (class 1)

आगतः (āgataḥ) - has come, arrived, arisen, occurred

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of āgata

āgata - come, arrived, obtained, arisen, occurred

Past Passive Participle

From root gam-1, to go, with prefix ā

Prefix: ā

Root: gam (class 1)

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