Verse 2236

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

अन्यस्मिन् ज्ञातसम्बन्धे नचान्यो बोधको भवेत् ।
गोशब्दे ज्ञातसम्बन्धे नाश्वशब्दो हि वाचकः ॥ २२३६ ॥

anyasmin jñātasambandhe nacānyo bodhako bhavet |
gośabde jñātasambandhe nāśvaśabdo hi vācakaḥ || 2236 ||

“If the relationship has been recognised with one word, any other word cannot be expressive of that meaning (whose relationship has been cognised with another word). for example, when the relationship has been recognised with the word ‘cow’, that does not make the ‘word ‘horse’ expressive (of that meaning)”.—[Ślokavārtika—eternality of words, 244-245].—(2236)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

It might be argued that—It may be that the Word exists at the time that the relationship (with its denotation) is set up; but later on, it would perish of itself.

The Mimāṃsaka’s answer to this is as follows:—[see verse 2236 above]

‘With one word’—i.e. with the Word that existed at the time that the Convention was set up fixing its denotation.

The rest is easily understood.—(2236)