Verse 389

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

असत्यप्यर्थभेदे च सोऽस्त्यस्येति न बाध्यते ।
इच्छारचितसङ्केतमात्रभावि हि वाचकम् ॥ ३८९ ॥

asatyapyarthabhede ca so'styasyeti na bādhyate |
icchāracitasaṅketamātrabhāvi hi vācakam || 389 ||

Even when there is no difference between two things, there is nothing to prevent the notion of ‘this belonging to that’; as every expressive word is applied in accordance with an arbitrary whim.—(389)

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

In such expressions as ‘one’s own nature’, ‘the body of the stone-image’, and so forth,—even though there is no actual difference between the two things spoken of, the Possessive ending implying difference is used on the basis of an assumed difference; so would it be in the case in question also. Verbal expressions are used, not always in accordance with the real state of things, but in accordance with the whim of the speaker.—(389)