Vakyapadiya (study of the concept of Sentence)
by Sarath P. Nath | 2018 | 36,088 words
This page relates 鈥楻equisites for Understanding the Sentence-Meaning (introduction)鈥� 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).
6. Requisites for Understanding the Sentence-Meaning (introduction)
It is already discussed that 艣补产诲补产辞诲丑补 is the term used by Indian Linguists to map the process of cognition of sentence meaning. In the 厂补办丑补峁囜笉补 School, the sentence is an aggregate of its parts which are syntactically connected (蝉腻办腻峁卥峁尘).
The knowledge of this syntactic unity of sentence is mainly due to:
- 腻办腻峁卥峁Ｄ� or the mutual expectancy of words,
- 测辞驳测补迟腻 (congruity or consistency of the meaning) and
- 腻蝉补迟迟颈 or sannidhi (proximity) of words.
These three inevitable conditions for the understanding of sentence-meaning were first introduced by the 惭墨尘腻峁僺腻办补蝉.
腻办腻峁卥峁Ｄ� sannidh膩nam ca 测辞驳测补迟腻 ceti ca trayam
蝉补峁僢补苍诲丑补办腻谤补峁嘺迟惫别苍补 办岣穚迟补峁� 苍腻苍补苍迟补谤补艣谤耻迟颈岣�.
鈥�(罢补苍迟谤补惫腻谤迟颈办补, 1984, p.455)
Later, these concepts were taken up by almost all the other systems of knowledge in the 厂补办丑补峁囜笉补 School of sentence, with slight changes. In addition to these three, a fourth condition known as 迟腻迟辫补谤测补箩帽腻苍补, was also introduced.
It is the intention of the speaker or the general purport of the sentence.
It can be concluded that almost all Schools of Indian thought have recognized the importance of knowing the speaker's intention in understanding the speech. Speech is mainly purposive in nature and can do its function only if the listener understands the intention of the speaker. At the same time, language is accepted as an objective instrument of communication and thus, it must be independent of personal inclinations of the speaker.