Mimamsa interpretation of Vedic Injunctions (Vidhi)
by Shreebas Debnath | 2018 | 68,763 words
This page relates 鈥榁erbal Understanding of Injunction鈥� of the study on the Mimamsa theory of interpretation of Vedic Injunctions (vidhi). The Mimamsakas (such as Jaimini, Shabara, etc.) and the Mimamsa philosophy emphasizes on the Karmakanda (the ritualistic aspect of the Veda). Accordingly to Mimamsa, a careful study of the Veda is necessary in order to properly understand dharma (religious and spiritual achievement鈥攖he ideal of human life).
Chapter 2.8 - Verbal Understanding of Injunction
According to 狈补颈测腻测颈办补蝉, the term having the first case ending is the subject of a sentence. So, 鈥�devadatta gacchati鈥� means Devadatta who has the effort which is conductive to going delimited by the present tense鈥�(惫补谤迟补尘腻苍补-办腻濒腻惫补肠肠丑颈苍苍补-驳补尘补苍腻苍耻办奴濒补办峁泃颈尘腻苍-诲别惫补诲补迟迟补岣�).
But the grammarians say that the meaning of the verb is the subject of a sentence. So, the above sentence means the act of going which is delimited by the present tense and which takes Devadatta as its agent (devattakart峁沰a-惫补谤迟补尘腻苍补k膩l墨nagamanam).
According to Kumarila 叠丑补峁弓补 鈥�产丑腻惫补苍腻鈥� is the subject of injunction. So, 鈥�svargak膩mo yajeta鈥� (One desiring of heaven should sacrifice.) means the objective urge produced by the verbal urge, by which heaven is to be accomplished and in which sacrifice, oblation, contribution etc. are regarded as means (svargabh膩vyak膩 y膩g膩dikara峁噄k膩 艣abda产丑腻惫补苍腻prayojy膩 膩rth墨产丑腻惫补苍腻).
笔谤补产丑腻办补谤补 惭颈艣谤补 regards the state of being to be accomplished (办腻谤测补迟腻) as the subject of an injunction. So, in his opinion 鈥�svargak膩mo yajeta鈥� means the activity produced by obejective urge preceded by verbal urge in which heaven is regarded as something to be accomplished and sacrifices etc. are means (svargabh膩vyak膩 y膩g膩dikara峁噄k膩 艣abda产丑腻惫补苍腻prajojy膩 膩rth墨产丑腻惫补苍腻ni峁膩dy膩 办腻谤测补迟腻).