Purva-Mimamsa in its Sources c19.2

c19.2

[Prakaraṇa-Pañchikā, p. 87 et saq.] The ‘Śāstra’—Scriptural or Verbal Cognition—has been defined as the cognition of something not before the Eyes, brought about by the knowledge of words. Verbal Cognition therefore is that Cognition of things imperceptible—i.e., not cognised by other Means of Cognition—which proceeds from Mind-Soul contact aided by the knowledge of ‘Sounds’; the ‘Sounds’ meant here being those in the form of letters; as these alone are audible by the ear; all sounds heard are in the shape of letters, there being no such thing as mere Dhvani, Indistinct Sound. The ‘Sound’ therefore that is spoken of in this connection is only a composite of Letter-Sounds related to something (which forms its Denotation); such indistinct Sounds as those of the crowing of birds is not really what is heard.—(Bṛhatī, p. 155); in every case the Sound that is heard is in the form of letters; in the case of Words there are as many units of Perception, i.e., Audition, as there are letters composing them; and the idea that we have of having heard one Word is due to the close proximity and quickness in which the several Letter-Sounds are heard. This idea of the ‘Word’ however has to be regarded as a Unit, as it is only thus that it could have a single Denotation.