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324
NYAYA THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
I
its parts and have a fixed order in the whole. It is a unity of
the parts in so far as it is the object of a single cognition.
The question as to how the constituents of a word are syn-
thesised so as to form one whole, will be considered later on.
2. Words and their meanings
A word is defined as a group of letters arranged in a fixed
order. This definition, however, has in view the existence or
the constitution of a word. The essential nature of a word
lies in its meaning." Logically a word is a sound that bears a
certain meaning. The meaning of a word consists in its rela-
tion to the object which it signifies. A word may have
different meanings according to the different ways in which it
may be related to an object. According to the Naiy膩yikas,
there are three kinds of meaning of a word, namely, abhidh膩,
paribh膩峁Ｄ� and lak峁�a峁嚹�." Let us here consider these different
kinds of meaning of a word.
By abhidha is meant the primary meaning of a word. It
is also called Sakyartha, vacy膩rtha and mukhy膩rtha. The
relation between a word and its meaning may be either sanketa
or lak峁�an膩. Sanketa is the direct relation between a word and
its meaning, such that the knowledge of the word leads imme-
diately to the knowledge of its relation to that meaning. Now
sanketa or the direct relation between a word and its meaning
may be either eternal or non-eternal. When eternal and un-
changing, it is called Sakti or the inherent potency of a word.
Thus the relation between the word jar and the object called
jar is a direct and eternal relation called 艣akti. This 艣akti or
potency of a word is due to the will of God which ordains that
such and such a word should mean such and such an object.
According to the M墨m膩insakas, the sakti of a word is its natural
relation to the object which it significs. Just as fire possesses
the power of burning, so words possess a natural potency to
1 Padari ca var峁嘺sam奴ha岣�, etc., TB., p. 14.
2 (f. 'padam ca var峁嘺sam眉ha岣�' (Tarkabh膩峁Ｄ�, p. 14), 'sakta峁� padam'
(Tarkasa峁僩raha, p. 64).
3 Vide Sabda艣akti-prak膩艣ik膩, Introduction (C. U. Edn.).