Verse 872

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

तत्र स्वलक्षणं तावन्न शब्दैः प्रतिपाद्यते ।
सङ्केतव्यवहाराप्तकालव्याप्तिवियोगतः ॥ ८७२ ॥

tatra svalakṣaṇaṃ tāvanna śabdaiḥ pratipādyate |
saṅketavyavahārāptakālavyāptiviyogataḥ || 872 ||

Of these, ‘specific individuality’ cannot be denoted by words; because it can have no connection with the time of convention and usage.—(872)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

The following Text proceeds to show that ‘Specific Individuality’ cannot form the ‘Import (or Denotation) of Words’ because there can be no Convention in regard to it:—[see verse 872 above]

‘Cannot be denoted by words’;—that is, because there can be no Convention in regard to it.

Question:—“Why can there be no Convention in regard to it?”

Answer:—Because there is ‘viyoga’, absence,—of connection with the time related to Convention and Usage,—‘there can be no Convention in regard to the Specific Individuality’ [this has to be supplied].

What is meant is that Convention is made for the purposes of usage; and not through mere love for it; hence people can rightly make Conventions only with regard to things present at the time related to that Convention and Usage;—not with regard to anything else. As regards ‘Specific Individuality’, it cannot be present at the time of the Convention and Usage; hence there can be no Convention in regard to it.—(872)