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Vakyapadiya (study of the concept of Sentence)

by Sarath P. Nath | 2018 | 36,088 words

This page relates ‘Pratibha: its sources� of the study on Vakyapadiya by Bhartrhari and his treatment of the Concept of Sentence in Language. Bhartrhari was a great grammarian and philosopher who explored the depth and breadth of Sanskrit grammar. These pages analyse the concepts and discussions on sentence and sentence-meaning presented in the Vakyapadiya, against the different systems of knowledge prevalent in ancient India (such as Mimamsa, Nyaya and Vyakarana).

To 󲹰ṛh, ʰپ is ' Ծīⲹ', or that cannot be described to others as 'it is this'. But he tries to explain the ways through which ʰپ is manifested. Though the very concept is peculiar to his theory of sentence meaning, 󲹰ṛh uses the word in a broad general perspective, which can be manifested in six different ways and thereby he admits six kinds of intuitions or ʰپ.

The six sources of ʰپ are

  1. ,
  2. 䲹ṇa,
  3. ,
  4. Yoga,
  5. ṛṣṭa and
  6. վśṣṭDZ貹󾱳ٲ.

Cf. ⲹ貹īⲹ, 2.152:�

屹ṇābDzṛṣṭo貹ī峾
śṣṭDZ貹󾱳� ceti پ� ṣaḍv�
.

󲹰ṛh does not give elucidation and examples for each kind of ʰپ, while some explanations are seen in the ṛtپ and the commentary of ʳṇyᲹ. Both these commentaries differ at some points in giving examples of six kinds.

(i) or nature:

The first kind of ʰپ is caused by or nature. The word ' ' refers to the instinctive knowledge of animals, which enables them to engage in activities appropriate to their species. ʳṇyᲹ illustrates this with an example of monkey and its activities (ⲹ貹īⲹ, 2.152). A slightly different opinion is described in the ancient commentary, the ṛtپ of ⲹ貹īⲹ. It mentions an example of natural tendency of ʰṛt (primordial matter) to evolve into Mahat and our natural tendency of waking up from deep sleep (ⲹ貹īⲹ, 2.152).

(ii) ṇa or śṣṭ峦:

The second cause of ʰپ is ṇa, which generally denotes a Vedic School. But here, it signifies śṣṭ峦. This kind of ʰپ is awakened, if one strictly follows the duties or karma according to his Vedic school.

ʳṇyᲹ gives no more explanations except for the first kind, saying that all the others are clear and they need no elucidations:

"ṇādṣūd󲹰ṇānūԾ",
  �(ⲹ貹īⲹ, 2.152).

The knowledge of the great seer ղṣṭ who acquired special illumination by strictly observing the prescription of his Vedic school is the example given in the ṛtپ

"ṇanimittā kācit pratibhā. tadyathā-ācaraṇenaivāvadhṛtaprakāśaviśeṣāṇā� vasiṣṭhādīnām",
  �(ⲹ貹īⲹ, 2.152).

Raghunatha Sarma also explains the special illumination of ղṣṭ through which he could know the events in past, present and future. It indicates that through such observance, one may achieve a spiritual power resulting in a special capacity to perceive things that others are not able to know.

(iii) or repeated practice:

The third cause of intuition is , which is generally translated as repeated practice. The declaration of expert hydro geologists and jewellers are prominent examples. Here, the ṛtپ suggests an example of the knowledge of a man, who can tell the existence of water for digging a well. All are not able to say where is the suitable place for digging a well, so also the knowledge of the genuineness of precious stones. This knowledge is not identical with inferential knowledge. According to 󲹰ṛh, knowledge of genuineness cannot be identified with inferential knowledge for it requires long practice which enables them to attain that skill. All such knowledge tends to reach a higher stage by practice. The expert knowledge of precious stones and metals is or inexplicable to others and is caused by (regular practice) only. It cannot be achieved by means of ԳܳԲ. Such an expertise is inherited from a long cultural tradition. This intuition is the result of (tradition) accompanied by , the tendency to act according to the nature of the different classes of beings. If one gets some instances of referring a particular word with a particular applied meaning due to , that word starts indicating that particular meaning, at least for that individual. Thus is also one of the causes of ʰپ.

(iv) yoga:

Yoga is another cause of ʰپ. Through Yoga, one can imagine what is going on in others mind. The self-consciousness, which is all consciousness, is ʰپ and in the light of which, all things are revealed simultaneously and in all their aspects (Gopinath M Kaviraj, 1924, p.11). The vision of Vasiṣaṭha about the real nature of can be treated as an example for this kind of ʰپ. Unable to see wearing valkala, while getting ready to go for forest, ղṣṭ closed his eyes for a while. In the meantime he could see the real nature of 峾 (J Prasad, 2010, p.60).

(v) ṛṣṭa:

The fifth cause of ʰپ is ṛṣṭa. It is the power of 鲹ṣa (demons) and ʾś峦 (the evil spirit) which enables them to enter the bodies of others and make themselves invisible (ⲹ貹īⲹ, 2.152, comm. ṛtپ). An individual is able to perform some unique activities led by some potency which he requires from his part karma. This invisible power is ṛṣṭa and due to this power, one can perform super sensible things.

(vi) śṣṭDZ貹󾱳ٲ or the grace of special person:

Lastly, ʰپ is manifested due to śṣṭDZ貹󾱳ٲ or the grace of special person. The example illustrated in the ṛtپ is the special knowledge which ṛṣṇa屹ⲹԲ gave to ñᲹⲹ and others; thereby they could see the ܰܰṣeٰ war as such. Again, Lord ṛṣṇa gives the mystic insight to Arjuna to see his cosmic form in the same context.

Thus it is very clear that ʰپ has been conceived in a very comprehensive way in ⲹ貹īⲹ. ʰپ exists in every living being accompanied by .

The manifestations of ʰپ range from the basic instincts of animals and birds to the superhuman perceptions of Ṛṣ:

"ṛṣīṇāmapi yajjñāna� tadapy岵pūrvakam",
  �(ⲹ貹īⲹ, 1.30).

Thus, we can conclude that the genius of a poet or a scientist or an Ṛṣ has no quantitative difference from the average man's intuition or instincts of animals.

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