Vakyapadiya of Bhartrihari
by K. A. Subramania Iyer | 1965 | 391,768 words
The English translation of the Vakyapadiya by Bhartrihari including commentary extracts and notes. The Vakyapadiya is an ancient Sanskrit text dealing with the philosophy of language. Bhartrhari authored this book in three parts and propounds his theory of Sphotavada (sphota-vada) which understands language as consisting of bursts of sounds conveyi...
This book contains Sanskrit text which you should never take for granted as transcription mistakes are always possible. Always confer with the final source and/or manuscript.
Verse 3.14.160-161
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of verse 3.14.160-161:
काल्या� कालाद् द्वितीयान्तात् काले काल्यास्तरब् भवेत� �
न्यक्कर्तर� तथ� गार्ग्ये गर्गेभ्य� प्रत्ययो भवेत� � १६� �
न्यक्कर्तृषु � गर्गेष� गार्ग्यात् स्यात् तच्च नेष्यत� �
कुमार्या� स्वार्थिके ङीप् स्यात् प्रकृत्यर्थो हि नाधिकः � १६� �kālyā� kālād dvitīyāntāt kāle kālyāstarab bhavet |
nyakkartari tathā gārgye gargebhya� pratyayo bhavet || 160 ||
nyakkartṛṣu ca gargeṣu gārgyāt syāt tacca neṣyate |
kumāryā� svārthike ṅīp syāt prakṛtyartho hi nādhika� || 161 ||160. When the superior is ī, the suffix tarap would be added to the word having the second case-ending; when the superior is , the suffix tarap would be added to the word ī having the second case-ending, when the one who surpasses is ⲹ, the suffix would be added to �.
161. When those who surpass are the �, the suffix would be added to ⲹ� and all this is not desired. If tarap is added in the meaning of the stem itself (?ճ) there would be ṅīp (in ܳٲ) because the meaning of the stem would not be over and above (that of degree).
Commentary
[When the suffix tarap is added in the sense of m پśٱ ī, we would get tarā whereas it should be ٲ. When it is added in the sense of īm پśٱ �, we would get ٲ� whereas it should be tara� In these illustrations we see difference in gender between the stem and the suffix when پśⲹԱ is interpreted as qualifying the meaning of the suffix (ٲⲹٳ śṣaṇa貹ṣa). Difference of number also would result. From n پśٱ ⲹ�, we would get gargatara whereas it should be ⲹtara. ⲹm پśٱ � would yield ⲹtara� whereas it should be ٲ�. All this is the result of the view that the meaning of the stem qualifies that of the suffix. Hence the M. Bhā. has adopted the view that it is the meaning of the stem which is qualified, not by the meaning of the suffix, but within itself. In other words the suffix is added in the meaning of the stem itself (ٳ) which is that of the agent. So we would get ٲ from ī پśٱ and tara� from h پśٱ. In this way, there would be no discrepancy of gender between the stem and the word formed. (See M. Bhā. Up. 414, 1.20). Similarly, if we form gargyatara from ⲹḥپśٱ�[?], and ٲ� from پśٱ, there would not be any discrepancy in number either.
But there would be one difficulty here. ܳī پśٱ might yield kumāritarī (ṅīp) whereas it should be ܳٲ. If tarap is added in the sense of the stem itself (ٳ), the meaning of the stem ܳī being the feminine conditioned by childhood (vayasi prathame), which is not apart from degree, the ṅīp would be added again to express degree. It might be said that the tarap expresses degree in what is conveyed by the stem, namely, the feminine conditioned by childhood and, therefore, there is no need to add ṅīp again to express degree. But in that way ṭāp also would become unnecessary. It might be said that ṭāp would come in the sense of the stem itself (ٳ) which is the feminine conditioned by childhood and having degree. But ṅīp has been taught setting aside ṭāp and so that would come which is not desired.]
Thus a difficulty has been pointed out in the view that the suffix tarap is added in the sense of the stem itself. How the ṣy meets this difficulty is now explained.