योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-51, verse-17

यदि स्यात्कारणे कार्यं स्थितं कारणतास्य का ।
कार्यमेवोपलम्भात्तदसद्द्वयमवेदनात् ॥ १७ ॥

yadi syātkāraṇe kāryaṃ sthitaṃ kāraṇatāsya kā ,
kāryamevopalambhāttadasaddvayamavedanāt 17

17. yadi syāt kāraṇe kāryam sthitam kāraṇatā asya kā
| kāryam eva upalambhāt tat asat dvayam avedanāt

17. yadi kāryam kāraṇe sthitam syāt,
asya kāraṇatā kā? kāryam eva upalambhāt,
avedanāt dvayam tat asat

17. If the effect (kārya) were already situated in the cause (kāraṇa), what then would be its causality? The cause itself is non-existent, for only the effect is perceived, and there is no experience of duality (between cause and effect).

Words meanings summery:

• यदि (yadi) - if, whether

• स्यात् (syāt) - may be, should be, exists

• कारणे (kāraṇe) - in the cause, in the reason

• कार्यम् (kāryam) - effect, something to be done

• स्थितम् (sthitam) - situated, standing, existing

• कारणता (kāraṇatā) - causality, the state of being a cause

• अस्य (asya) - of this, its

• का (kā) - what? which?

• कार्यम् (kāryam) - the effect

• एव (eva) - only, alone, indeed

• उपलम्भात् (upalambhāt) - from perception, by means of perception

• तत् (tat) - that (cause) (that, it)

• असत् (asat) - non-existent, unreal

• द्वयम् (dvayam) - the duality (of cause and effect) (duality, pair, two)

• अवेदनात् (avedanāt) - from non-knowledge, due to non-perception

Words meanings and morphology

यदि (yadi) - if, whether

(indeclinable)

स्यात् (syāt) - may be, should be, exists

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (liṅ) of as

Optative Mood

Root `as` (to be). Optative form.

Prefix:

Root: as (class 2)

कारणे (kāraṇe) - in the cause, in the reason

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of kāraṇa

kāraṇa - cause, reason, instrument

From root `kṛ` (to do) with suffix `ana`.

Prefix:

Root: kṛ (class 8)

कार्यम् (kāryam) - effect, something to be done

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kārya

kārya - to be done, effect, purpose

Gerundive

Derived from root `kṛ` (to do) with suffix `ṇyat`.

Prefix:

Root: kṛ (class 8)

स्थितम् (sthitam) - situated, standing, existing

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sthita

sthita - standing, situated, existing, firm

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root `sthā` (to stand).

Prefix:

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Agrees with `kāryam`.

कारणता (kāraṇatā) - causality, the state of being a cause

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of kāraṇatā

kāraṇatā - causality, the nature of a cause

Derived from `kāraṇa` (cause) with suffix `tā`.

अस्य (asya) - of this, its

(pronoun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this

Note: Refers to the cause.

का (kā) - what? which?

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

Note: Interrogative pronoun, agrees with `kāraṇatā`.

कार्यम् (kāryam) - the effect

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kārya

kārya - to be done, effect, purpose

Gerundive

Derived from root `kṛ` (to do) with suffix `ṇyat`.

Prefix:

Root: kṛ (class 8)

एव (eva) - only, alone, indeed

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes `kāryam`.

उपलम्भात् (upalambhāt) - from perception, by means of perception

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of upalambha

upalambha - perception, apprehension, acquisition

Derived from root `labh` (to obtain) with prefix `upa-`.

Prefix: upa

Root: labh (class 1)

Note: Indicates cause or reason.

तत् (tat) - that (cause) (that, it)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it

Note: Refers to the cause (`kāraṇa`).

असत् (asat) - non-existent, unreal

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of asat

asat - non-existent, unreal, bad

Negation of `sat` (existent, real).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nañ) (a+sat)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Prefix:
• sat – existent, real, good, being
  adjective
  Present Active Participle
  From root `as` (to be).
  Prefix:
  Root: as (class 2)

Note: Agrees with `tat`.

द्वयम् (dvayam) - the duality (of cause and effect) (duality, pair, two)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of dvaya

dvaya - pair, duality, two

From `dvi` (two).

अवेदनात् (avedanāt) - from non-knowledge, due to non-perception

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of avedana

avedana - non-knowing, non-perception, ignorance

Negation of `vedana` (knowledge, perception).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nañ) (a+vedana)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Prefix:
• vedana – knowing, perception, feeling
  noun (neuter)
  From root `vid` (to know).
  Prefix:
  Root: vid (class 2)

Note: Indicates cause or reason.