I have learnt a lot from Pandit Sanjay Rath regarding how to dissect the etymology of a word and tease out insightful understanding of the word.
One is to find out the root or dhAturupa of the word - that gives the root meaning of the word.
The dhAtu of "vṛtti" is "vāvṛt" which means to choose. From this we understand that "vṛtti" is a matter of choice. In Upanishads there is a story of two birds - śreya and preya - one is virtue while the other is pleasure. One is reading the illuminating commentaries of Patañjali Yoga Sutras and meditating upon the Sutras, while the other is watching and enjoying the cricket match or some entertaining video on Youtube. Depending on your choice the vṛttis will be formed.
vṛtti is also related vṛtta - which generally means a circular shape, but its deeper meaning is "turning, set in motion", "something that has elapsed, happened in the past", "dead, deceased,", "exhausted" and even "firm, fixed". From this we get the idea that it is something that is continuously ongoing - since its set in motion, its very firm i.e. once the latent impressions are formed you have a predilection to doing it, its an unescapable habit. It is something that has happened in the past. But if you overcome it, then it becomes dead, deceased, exhausted just like the dead branch of a tree doesnt bear leaves or flowers.
Though I didnt find this in the dictionary - but I think that vṛtti is somehow related to "vṛ" which means to conceal, hide, veil and obstruct. The word "varṇa" comes from this root which means colour - because the experience of colour is caused by certain wavelengths being hidden while some other wavelengths being reflected. Varṇa is also the "colour" of our mind - based on which the type of mode of life - brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya etc is determined. Interestingly one of the meanings of the word "vṛtti" is also one's mode of life, occupation or profession. In this sense - both words are related. Vṛttis veil the true self due to the fluctuations - just like a muddy water when disturbed gives the entire pool a muddy look. Just like the turbulent frothy waves hide or conceal the calm ocean. So vṛttis are thereby an obstruction to what is described in Patanjali Yoga Sutras 1.3 - Tadā dṛṣtuh svarupe avasthānaṃ. because of vṛttis the Seer is not established in himself.
In the Patañjali Yoga Sutras - vṛttis are described to be of five types -
1. Pramāṇa - or valid knowledge that is obtained by direct perception (pratyakṣa), inference (anumāna) or through a valid authority like scriptures, guru (āgāma)
2. Viparyaya - or false knowledge, misperception or wrong understanding
3. Vikalpa - fantasy, something that has no basis in truth. The difference between viparyaya and vikalpa is whereas viparyaya is based on proper knowledge - but understanding it in a wrong manner, on the other hand, vikalpa has no basis in proper knowledge. One can say that it is stuff of dreams.
4. Nidra - sleep
5. Smṛti - memory. Something which has been retained in the chitta from past experience.
Courtesy: https://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/scans/MWScan/2020/web/webtc2/index.php , the meanings of the following words for reference.
Monier-Williams Dictionary Meanings of "Vṛtti"
वृत्ति
f.
·
rolling, rolling down (of tears), Śak. iv, 5;
14 [ID=204501]
·
mode of life or conduct, course of action,
behaviour, (esp.) moral conduct, kind or respectful behaviour or treatment
(also v.l. for वृत्त),
GṛŚrS. ; Mn. ; MBh. &c. [ID=204502]
·
general usage, common practice, rule, Prāt. [ID=204503]
·
mode of being, nature, kind, character,
disposition, ib. ; Kāv. [ID=204504]
·
state, condition, Tattvas. [ID=204505]
·
being, existing, occurring or appearing in (loc.
or comp.), Lāṭy. ; Hariv. ; Kāv. &c.
[ID=204506]
·
practice, business, devotion or addiction to,
occupation with (often ifc. ‘employed about’, ‘engaged in’, ‘practising’), MBh.
; Kāv. &c. [ID=204507]
·
profession, maintenance, subsistence, livelihood
(often ifc.; cf. उञ्छ-व्°;
वृत्तिं-√कृ or √कॢप् [Caus.] with instr., ‘to
live on or by’; with gen., ‘to get or procure a maintenance for’; only certain
means of subsistence are allowed to a Brāhman See, Mn. iv, 4-6 ), ŚrS. ; Mn. ;
MBh. &c. [ID=204508]
·
wages, hire,
Pañcav. [ID=204509]
·
working, activity, function, MaitrUp. ; Kap. ;
Vedântas. &c. [ID=204510]
·
mood (of the mind), Vedântas. [ID=204511]
·
the use or occurrence of a word in a partic.
sense (loc.), its function or force, Pāṇ. ; Sāh. Sch. on KātyŚr. &c. [ID=204512]
·
mode or measure of pronunciation and recitation
(said to be threefold, viz. विलम्बिता,
मध्यमा,
and द्रुता q.v.),
Prāt. [ID=204513]
·
(in gram.) a complex formation which requires
explanation or separation into its parts (as distinguished from a simple or
uncompounded form e.g. any word formed with Kṛt or Taddhita affixes, any
compound and even duals and plurals which are regarded as Dvandva compounds, of
which only one member is left, and all derivative verbs such as desideratives
&c.) [ID=204514]
·
style of composition (esp. dram. style, said to
be of four kinds, viz. 1. Kaiśikī, 2. Bhāratī 3. Sātvatī, 4. Ārabhaṭī, qq.vv.;
the first three are described as suited to the Śṛṅgāra, Vīra, and Raudra Rasas
respectively, the last as common to all), Bhar. ; Daśar. &c. [ID=204515]
·
(in rhet.) alliteration, frequent repetition of
the same consonant (five kinds enumerated, scil. मधुरा, प्रौढा, पुरुषा, ललिता, and भद्रा), Daśar., Introd. [ID=204516]
·
final rhythm of a verse (= or v.l. for वृत्त q.v.) [ID=204517]
·
a commentary, comment, gloss, explanation (esp.
on a Sūtra) [ID=204518]
·
N. of the wife of a Rudra, BhP. [ID=204519]
Monier-Williams Dictionary Meanings of "Vṛtta"
(H2) [Printed book page 1009,2]
वृत्त
mfn.
· turned, set in motion (as a wheel), RV. [ID=204347]
·
round, rounded, circular, ŚBr. &c. &c. [ID=204348]
·
occurred, happened (cf. किं-व्°), Āpast. ; R. &c. [ID=204349]
·
(ifc.) continued, lasted for a certain time,
MBh. vii, 6147 [ID=204350]
·
completed, finished, absolved, MaitrUp. [ID=204351]
·
past, elapsed, gone, KauṣUp. ; Mn. ; MBh. &c. [ID=204352]
·
quite exhausted, TBr. (= श्रान्त Sch.) [ID=204353]
·
deceased, dead, Mn. ; R. [ID=204354]
·
studied, mastered, Pāṇ. 7-2, 26 [ID=204355]
·
existing, effective, unimpaired (See वृत्तऊजस्) [ID=204356]
·
become (e.g. with मुक्त, become free), Kathās.
xviii, 306 [ID=204357]
·
acted or behaved towards (loc.), MBh. ; R. [ID=204358]
·
fixed, firm, L.
[ID=204359]
·
chosen (= वृत), L. [ID=204360]
·
वृत्त m. a tortoise, L. [ID=204361]
·
a kind of grass, L. [ID=204362]
·
a round temple, VarBṛS. [ID=204363]
·
N. of a serpent-demon, MBh. [ID=204364]
·
(H2B) [Printed book page 1009,2]
·
वृत्ता f. N. of various plants (= झिञ्जरिष्टा, मांस-रोहिणी, महा-कोशातकी, and प्रियङ्गु), L. [ID=204365]
·
a kind of drug (= रेणुका), L. [ID=204366]
·
a kind of metre, Col. [ID=204367]
·
(H2B) [Printed book page 1009,2]
·
वृत्त n. (ifc. f(आ). ) a circle, Gaṇit. [ID=204368]
·
वृत्त n. the epicycle, Sūryas. [ID=204369]
·
occurrence, use, Nir. [ID=204370]
·
(ifc.) transformation, change into, RPrāt. [ID=204371]
·
appearance, Vcar. [ID=204372]
·
(ifc.) formed of or derived from (See किं-व्°) [ID=204373]
·
an event, adventure, R. ; Kathās. [ID=204374]
·
a matter, affair, business, ib.
[ID=204375]
·
(also pl.) procedure, practice, action, mode of
life, conduct, behaviour (esp. virtuous conduct, good behaviour), ŚBr. &c. &c. [ID=204376]
·
means of life, subsistence, Hariv. 335 (more correct वृत्ति) [ID=204377]
·
‘turn of a line’, the rhythm at the end of a
verse, final rhythm, RPrāt. [ID=204378]
·
a metre containing a fixed number of syllables,
any metre, Kāvyâd. ; VarBṛS. &c.
[ID=204379]
·
[Printed book page 1009,3]
·
a metre consisting of 10 trochees, Col. [ID=204380]
Monier-Williams Dictionary Meanings of the Dhatu "Vāvṛt"
वावृत्
(H1) [Printed book page 947,1] Westergaard Dhatupatha
links: 26.51
वावृत्
cl. 4. Ā. (Dhātup. xxvi, 51 , rather Intens. fr. a lost √3. वृत्) वावृत्यते (only pr. p. वावृत्यमान), to choose,
select, Bhaṭṭ. [ID=192244]
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