History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c93.314

v7.c93.314

But when there is an obstacle or difficulty in construing 'na' with the verbal termination, then it is construed with the meaning of the root. These obstacles are of two sorts; one is where the whole passage is introduced by the words 'his vows are' or where an option will emerge if the meaning of prohibition is stuck to. In the case of these two obstacles in sentences where 'na' occurs, we would have to resort to *paryudāsa* (exclusion or exception). In the case of the Prajāpativratas²⁰²⁸ (which are puruṣārtha as decided in P. M. S. IV. 1. 3) the passage starts with the words 'his vows are' and then comes the sentence 'he must not see the sun rising or setting' (Kauṣītaki Br. VI. 6). Vrata means a mental act, a resolve not to do a certain thing, the meaning being 'he should make a resolve to act in such a way as not to see the rising or setting sun and stick to it'. This really is niyama (restriction). This passage does not mean that he should never look at the sun (there is no prohibition of seeing the sun) but it only excludes the sight of the rising or setting sun; therefore, this is only exclusion and he who observes this niyama (restriction) secures the reward while in the case of eating kalañja there is a total prohibition. 'Paryudāsa (exclusion) is to be understood where the negative particle is taken with another word (i. e. with the verbal root or a different word such as a noun); prohibition is to be understood where the negative particle is taken with the verbal form'.