Mimamsasutra 3.2.32-2
Jaiminīyanyāyamālā 3.2.32-2
- Language
- Sanskrit
3.2.32-2
varṇaikatvātpadaikatvaṃ kvācitkī rūpabhinnatā |
prāyikeṇa padaikyena tadarthaikyaṃ tathāvidham ||
Identity of a word exists from the identity of its phonemes; difference of form is occasional;
Through the general identity of words, the identity of their meanings is of the same kind.
3.2.32-2.p1
vaidikau padapadārthau laukikābhyāṃ padapadārthābhyāmanyau | kutaḥ | rūpabhedāt | pade tāvadrūpabhedo dṛśyate | ātmaśabda ākārāditvena loke niyataḥ | vede tu kvacidākārarahitaḥ paṭhyate - "prayataṃ purūṣaṃ tmanā " iti | ’brāhmaṇāḥ ’ iti loke | vede tvanyathā paṭhyate - "brāhmaṇāsaḥ pitaraḥ somyāsaḥ " iti | arthabhedo'pi sphuṭaḥ | uttānā vai devagavā vahanti " iti śrūyate - devebhyo vanaspate havīṃṣi hiraṇyaparṇa pradivaste artham " iti | tasmāt ’ lokavedayoḥ padapadārthāvanyau ’ iti prāpte -
The Vedic word and word-meaning are different from the everyday word and word-meaning. Why? Because of difference of form. To begin with, difference of form is seen in the word. The word 'ātman'
is fixed in everyday usage as having the initial vowel 'ā' and so forth; but in the Veda it is sometimes read without the initial vowel 'ā': "the resolute man by himself [tmanā]." In everyday usage it is "brāhmaṇāḥ"; but in the Veda it is read otherwise: "The Brahmin fathers [brāhmaṇāsaḥ], worthy of Soma." Difference of meaning is also evident. "Supine indeed do the divine cattle convey," and it is
heard: "To the gods, O tree, [carry] the oblations, O golden-leaved one, to your ancient goal." Therefore, when it is prima facie maintained that "the word and word-meaning in everyday life and the Veda are different"—
3.2.32-2.p2
brūmaḥ- ya eva laukikāḥ padārthāḥ, ta eva vaidikāḥ | tathā hi - varṇānāṃ tāvannityatvaṃ prathamapāde sādhitam | yathā prayoktṝṇāṃ puruṣāṇāṃ bhede'pyekaikasya puruṣasya bahukṛtva uccāraṇabhede'pi ’ ta evāmī varṇāḥ ’ iti pratyabhijñānādvarṇaikyam | tathā ’ yāni loke gavādipadāni , tānyeva vede'dhīyamānāni ’ ityavādhitapratyabhijñayā padaikatvamabhyupeyam | ’ tmanā, devāsaḥ ’ ityādipadabhedastu kvācitkaḥ | naitāvatā bahutarapratyabhijñāvagataṃ padaikyamapoḍhuṃ śakyam | anyathā ’so'yaṃ devadattaḥ ’ iti pratyabhijñātaṃ devadattaikyamapi deśādibhedamātreṇāpodyeta | padaikye cārthaikatvamavaśyaṃbhāvi | anyathā vede pṛthagvyutpattyabhāvādabodhakatvaṃ prasajyeta | etadevābhipretyoktam -
We reply: those very meanings of words that are everyday are Vedic as well. To explain: to begin with, the eternality of phonemes was established in the first quarter. Just as, despite the difference among the persons employing them, and despite the difference in many utterances made even by a single person, there is identity of phonemes because of the recognition: "These are those very same phonemes"—likewise, one must accept identity of words by virtue of the uncontradicted recognition: "Those very words such as 'gauḥ' in everyday life are the ones being recited in the Veda." As for the difference of words such as 'tmanā' and 'devāsaḥ', it is merely occasional; not by that much can the identity of words, grasped through abundant recognition, be set aside. Otherwise, even the identity of Devadatta recognized as "This is that Devadatta" could be set aside merely by a difference of place and the like. And when there is identity of words, identity of meaning is inevitable; otherwise, because of the absence of a separate grasping of convention in the Veda, the consequence would be its lack of expressive power. Intending this very point, it is said:
Translations (1)
- English (machine translation) — English, machine translation
Commentaries (1)
- Jaiminīyanyāyamālāvistara — Mādhava, Sanskrit
Linked texts (1)
- Mīmāṃsāsūtra — Jaimini, Sanskrit