योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-4, verse-21

लोभो लज्जा मदो मोहो येनादाविति नो जिताः ।
निरर्थकमनर्थेऽस्मिन्स किमर्थं प्रवर्तते ॥ २१ ॥

lobho lajjā mado moho yenādāviti no jitāḥ ,
nirarthakamanarthe'sminsa kimarthaṃ pravartate 21

21. lobhaḥ lajjā madaḥ mohaḥ yena ādau iti na jitāḥ
saḥ kim artham nirarthakam anarthe asmin pravartate

21. yena ādau lobhaḥ lajjā madaḥ mohaḥ iti na jitāḥ
saḥ asmin anarthe kim artham nirarthakam pravartate

21. Greed, false shame, pride, and delusion—for the one by whom these were not overcome at the outset, why does that person then engage purposelessly in this detrimental (cycle of existence)?

Words meanings summery:

• लोभः (lobhaḥ) - greed, avarice, desire

• लज्जा (lajjā) - Contextually implies "false shame" or "lack of shame regarding vices". (shame, modesty, bashfulness)

• मदः (madaḥ) - pride, arrogance, intoxication, passion

• मोहः (mohaḥ) - delusion, infatuation, bewilderment, ignorance

• येन (yena) - by whom, by which

• आदौ (ādau) - in the beginning, initially, at first

• इति (iti) - thus, these, so

• न (na) - not

• जिताः (jitāḥ) - conquered, overcome, subdued

• सः (saḥ) - He, the one by whom these were not conquered. (he, that person)

• किम् (kim) - what, why, for what reason

• अर्थम् (artham) - purpose, meaning, object, for the sake of

• निरर्थकम् (nirarthakam) - uselessly, purposelessly, in vain

• अनर्थे (anarthe) - In the detrimental cycle of existence (saṃsāra). (in a harmful thing, in a misfortune, in something meaningless)

• अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this (masculine/neuter locative)

• प्रवर्तते (pravartate) - he acts, engages, proceeds, manifests

Words meanings and morphology

लोभः (lobhaḥ) - greed, avarice, desire

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of lobha

lobha - greed, avarice, covetousness, desire

From root lubh (to covet)

Root: lubh (class 4)

लज्जा (lajjā) - Contextually implies "false shame" or "lack of shame regarding vices". (shame, modesty, bashfulness)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of lajjā

lajjā - shame, modesty, bashfulness, embarrassment

From root lajj (to be ashamed)

Root: lajj (class 1)

मदः (madaḥ) - pride, arrogance, intoxication, passion

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mada

mada - intoxication, arrogance, pride, passion, delusion

From root mad (to be intoxicated, delighted)

Root: mad (class 4)

मोहः (mohaḥ) - delusion, infatuation, bewilderment, ignorance

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of moha

moha - delusion, infatuation, bewilderment, error, ignorance

From root muh (to be bewildered, confused)

Root: muh (class 4)

येन (yena) - by whom, by which

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what

आदौ (ādau) - in the beginning, initially, at first

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of ādi

ādi - beginning, first, origin

इति (iti) - thus, these, so

(indeclinable)

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates the verb `jitāḥ`.

जिताः (jitāḥ) - conquered, overcome, subdued

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of jita

jita - conquered, overcome, subdued, won

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root ji (to conquer)

Root: ji (class 1)

Note: Refers to `lobhaḥ`, `lajjā`, `madaḥ`, `mohaḥ` as a collective plural.

सः (saḥ) - He, the one by whom these were not conquered. (he, that person)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, it

Note: Refers to 'the one by whom these were not conquered'.

किम् (kim) - what, why, for what reason

(pronoun)

neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, which, why, for what reason

Note: Often used with `artham` to mean "for what purpose".

अर्थम् (artham) - purpose, meaning, object, for the sake of

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of artha

artha - aim, purpose, object, meaning, wealth, advantage

Note: Used with `kim` as an adverbial phrase "kim artham" (for what purpose).

निरर्थकम् (nirarthakam) - uselessly, purposelessly, in vain

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of nirarthaka

nirarthaka - useless, meaningless, purposeless, vain

Compound of 'nis' (without) + 'artha' (purpose) + '-ka' (suffix)

Compound type : avyayībhāva (nis+artha)

• nis – out, forth, without, negation
  upasarga
• artha – purpose, meaning, object
  noun (masculine)

Note: Functions adverbially.

अनर्थे (anarthe) - In the detrimental cycle of existence (saṃsāra). (in a harmful thing, in a misfortune, in something meaningless)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of anartha

anartha - misfortune, harm, evil, meaningless, useless

Compound of 'an' (negation) and 'artha' (purpose/meaning/wealth)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (an+artha)

• an – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negation prefix
• artha – purpose, meaning, object, wealth
  noun (masculine)

Note: Refers to the cycle of transmigration (saṃsāra) or the mundane world.

अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this (masculine/neuter locative)

(pronoun)

Locative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this

Note: Modifies `anarthe`.

प्रवर्तते (pravartate) - he acts, engages, proceeds, manifests

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of pra-vṛt

present middle 3rd singular

Prefix: pra

Root: vṛt (class 1)