Verse 2674-2675

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

अन्यथा करणेच्छायामपि वर्त्तेत न ध्वनिः ।
तथैव यदि वाञ्छा सा नृणां जायेत नान्यथा ॥ २६७४ ॥
शङ्क्येतायं तथा वेदो न ग्रन्थार्थान्यथात्मकः ।
अन्यथेच्छाप्रवृत्तौ तु नाशङ्का विनिवर्त्तते ॥ २६७५ ॥

anyathā karaṇecchāyāmapi vartteta na dhvaniḥ |
tathaiva yadi vāñchā sā nṛṇāṃ jāyeta nānyathā || 2674 ||
śaṅkyetāyaṃ tathā vedo na granthārthānyathātmakaḥ |
anyathecchāpravṛttau tu nāśaṅkā vinivarttate || 2675 ||

As a matter of fact, if there were a desire to alter the text of the Veda, the words could not remain the same,—so also if there were no such desire in the minds of men,—then and not otherwise, could there be an impossibility of regarding the Veda and its meaning being other than the one usually accepted.—Even if this desire is not there, the suspicion does not altogether disappear.—(2674-2675)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

The following might be urged—“There is a proof annulling your conclusion. For instance, throughout the country men cannot alter the text of the Veda; from this we conclude that it has been so in the past and is going to be so in the future”.

In anticipation of this, the author provides the following answer:—[see verses 2674-2675 above]

If it were a fact that even when one has the desire to alter the text of the Veda, there is no change in the words of the Veda,—or if the desire itself to change the text were impossible to be produced,—then alone could it be taken as proved that man has no capacity to alter the Vedic text; but that conclusion also could not apply to all men; as the mere non-perception (of such change) does not prove anything; and also because there is difference in the capacities of men.—As a matter of fact, however, it is quite possible for man to alter the text of the Vedic passages—such as ‘Śanno devīrabhiṣṭaye, etc.’—or to explain them as meaning something quite different from what they are regarded as meaning. For instance, we find that even Mīmāṃsakas and the Author of the Nirukta and others do often differ among themselves regarding the explanation of Vedic texts.—Hence the doubts regarding its veracity and fidelity cannot cease altogether.—(2674-2675)