योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-31, verse-21

यस्य चैष भ्रमः सोऽसन्प्रेक्षयासन्न लक्ष्यते ।
मृगतृष्णाम्बुवत्तेन संसारः कस्य कः कुतः ॥ २१ ॥

yasya caiṣa bhramaḥ so'sanprekṣayāsanna lakṣyate ,
mṛgatṛṣṇāmbuvattena saṃsāraḥ kasya kaḥ kutaḥ 21

21. yasya ca eṣaḥ bhramaḥ saḥ asat prekṣayā asat na lakṣyate
| mṛgatṛṣṇāmbuvat tena saṃsāraḥ kasya kaḥ kutaḥ ||

21. yasya eṣaḥ bhramaḥ ca (asti),
saḥ asat prekṣayā asat na lakṣyate tena (kāraṇena) mṛgatṛṣṇāmbuvat saṃsāraḥ kasya kaḥ kutaḥ (asti)?

21. The person for whom this delusion (bhrama) exists is unreal (asat) and is not perceived by investigation. Therefore, like the water of a mirage, to whom does this cycle of rebirth (saṃsāra) belong, what is it, and from where does it arise?

Words meanings summery:

• यस्य (yasya) - for whom (whose, for whom, of whom)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• एषः (eṣaḥ) - this (this, this one)

• भ्रमः (bhramaḥ) - this delusion (bhrama) (delusion, error, wandering)

• सः (saḥ) - that one (the person for whom the delusion exists) (he, that (one))

• असत् (asat) - unreal (asat) (unreal, non-existent)

• प्रेक्षया (prekṣayā) - by investigation (by observation, by seeing)

• असत् (asat) - (as) non-existent (non-existent, unreal)

• न (na) - not

• लक्ष्यते (lakṣyate) - is perceived (is perceived, is observed, is indicated)

• मृगतृष्णाम्बुवत् (mṛgatṛṣṇāmbuvat) - like the water of a mirage

• तेन (tena) - therefore (by that, therefore)

• संसारः (saṁsāraḥ) - cycle of rebirth (saṃsāra) (cycle of rebirth, worldly existence)

• कस्य (kasya) - to whom (does it belong) (whose, to whom, of what)

• कः (kaḥ) - what (is it) (who, what, which)

• कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where (does it arise) (from where, whence, why)

Words meanings and morphology

यस्य (yasya) - for whom (whose, for whom, of whom)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what

Note: Refers to the person or entity experiencing the delusion.

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

एषः (eṣaḥ) - this (this, this one)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of etad

etad - this, this one

भ्रमः (bhramaḥ) - this delusion (bhrama) (delusion, error, wandering)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhrama

bhrama - wandering, error, delusion, confusion

From root `bhram` (to wander).

Root: bhram (class 1)

Note: Subject.

सः (saḥ) - that one (the person for whom the delusion exists) (he, that (one))

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Masculine nominative singular.

Note: Subject of the next clause.

असत् (asat) - unreal (asat) (unreal, non-existent)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of asat

asat - unreal, non-existent, bad, false

Negative prefix `a-` + `sat` (present participle of `as`).

Compound type : Nañ-Tatpurusha (a+sat)

• a – not, non-
  prefix
• sat – existent, real
  participle (masculine)
  Present Active Participle
  From root `as` + `śatṛ`
  Root: as (class 2)

Note: Predicative.

प्रेक्षया (prekṣayā) - by investigation (by observation, by seeing)

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of prekṣā

prekṣā - looking, observing, contemplation, investigation

From `pra` + root `īkṣ` (to see) + `a` suffix.

Prefix: pra

Root: īkṣ (class 1)

Note: Indicates the means of perception.

असत् (asat) - (as) non-existent (non-existent, unreal)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of asat

asat - unreal, non-existent, bad, false

Negative prefix `a-` + `sat` (present participle of `as`).

Compound type : Nañ-Tatpurusha (a+sat)

• a – not, non-
  prefix
• sat – existent, real
  participle (masculine)
  Present Active Participle
  From root `as` + `śatṛ`
  Root: as (class 2)

Note: Predicative, meaning 'as non-existent' when used with `na lakṣyate`.

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates the verb `lakṣyate`.

लक्ष्यते (lakṣyate) - is perceived (is perceived, is observed, is indicated)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of lakṣ

Present Middle/Passive

From root `lakṣ` (to observe). Passive `yā` affix.

Root: lakṣ (class 10)

मृगतृष्णाम्बुवत् (mṛgatṛṣṇāmbuvat) - like the water of a mirage

(indeclinable)

Compound `mṛgatṛṣṇā-ambu` (mirage water) + `vat` (suffix 'like').

Compound type : Tatpurusha + `vat`-suffix (mṛgatṛṣṇā+ambu+vat)

• mṛgatṛṣṇā – mirage, deer's thirst
  noun (feminine)
• ambu – water
  noun (neuter)
• vat – like, resembling
  suffix
  Suffix forming indeclinable meaning 'like'.

Note: Functions as an adverb describing the unreality of saṃsāra.

तेन (tena) - therefore (by that, therefore)

(indeclinable)

Instrumental singular masculine/neuter.

Note: Adverbial.

संसारः (saṁsāraḥ) - cycle of rebirth (saṃsāra) (cycle of rebirth, worldly existence)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of saṃsāra

saṁsāra - transmigration, cycle of rebirth, worldly existence

From `sam` + root `sṛ` (to flow, move) + `ghañ` suffix.

Prefix: sam

Root: sṛ (class 1)

Note: Subject of the implied question.

कस्य (kasya) - to whom (does it belong) (whose, to whom, of what)

(interrogative pronoun)

कः (kaḥ) - what (is it) (who, what, which)

(interrogative pronoun)

कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where (does it arise) (from where, whence, why)

(indeclinable)

Ablative form of `kim` used adverbially.