Verse 2238

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

यतः प्रत्यय इत्येव व्यवहारे प्रकल्पिते ।
श्रोतॄणां स्यादपीत्थं तु वक्तृणां नावकल्पते ॥ २२३८ ॥

yataḥ pratyaya ityeva vyavahāre prakalpite |
śrotṝṇāṃ syādapītthaṃ tu vaktṛṇāṃ nāvakalpate || 2238 ||

“If the use of words be assumed to be based upon actual expedience as to which word brings about the cognition (of a certain thing),—this may serve the purpose of the hearers of the word; it cannot do so for those who usb the word.”—[Ślokavārtika—eternality of words, 246-247].—(2238)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

Says the Opponent—How do you say that there can be no certainty, when, as a matter of fact, it is clearly ascertained that it is by its inherent aptitude that the word expresses its meaning?

The Mīmāṃsaka’s answer to this is as follows:—[see verse 2238 above]

True; what has been asserted would bring about certainty in the minds of the hearers—as to a certain Word being expressive of a particular thing; because they may have a certain cognition arising on the hearing of the Word. But this will not be possible for those who use the Word; because they do not derive any cognition of anything from that Word; as they use that Word for the purpose of bringing about the cognition for the hearers only. Under the circumstances, how could there be any certainty in the minds of the persons using the Word?—(2238)

The same idea is further explained—[see verse 2239 next]