Verse 2787-2789

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

सम्भाव्यते च वेदस्य विस्पष्टं पौरुषेयता ।
काममिथ्याक्रियाप्राणिहिंसाऽसत्याभिधा तथा ॥ २७८७ ॥
दुर्भणत्वानुदात्तत्वक्लिष्टत्वाश्रव्यतादयः ।
वेदधर्मा हि दृश्यन्ते नास्तिकादिवचस्स्वपि ॥ २७८८ ॥
विषापगमभूत्यादि यच्च किञ्चित्समीक्ष्यते ।
सत्यं तद्वैनतेयादिमन्त्रवादेऽपि दृश्यते ॥ २७८९ ॥

sambhāvyate ca vedasya vispaṣṭaṃ pauruṣeyatā |
kāmamithyākriyāprāṇihiṃsā'satyābhidhā tathā || 2787 ||
durbhaṇatvānudāttatvakliṣṭatvāśravyatādayaḥ |
vedadharmā hi dṛśyante nāstikādivacassvapi || 2788 ||
viṣāpagamabhūtyādi yacca kiñcitsamīkṣyate |
satyaṃ tadvainateyādimantravāde'pi dṛśyate || 2789 ||

It is clearly conceivable that the Veda is the work of man; as it speaks of wrongful sexual acts, killing of animals and telling of lies.—As for the character of being difficult to pronounce, the agreeableness of sound, difficulty of comprehension, disagreeableness to the ear and so forth,—these characteristics of the Veda are found in the works of decriers of the Veda also.—as regards such properties as capacity to cure poison, etc. that are found to be true,—this is found also in the case of incantations laid down by vainateya and such persons.—(2787-2789)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

Says the Opponent—“There are certain characteristics in the Veda—such as Teaching of Duty, difficulty of pronunciation and the like,—which are never found in the words of men; whence it follows that it is inconceivable that the Veda should be the work of man; under the circumstances, how can our Reason be open to the charge of being doubtful and hence inadmissible?”

The answer to this is as follows:—[see verses 2787-2789 next]

What the Author means is as follows:—Even if certain characteristics are not found in human assertions,—mere non-perception cannot prove anything; so that the Reason still remains doubtful and inadmissible; it being just possible that there may be persons who would be able to compose works having the said properties of the Veda.

But the non-perception of the said properties itself cannot be admitted; because there are certain characteristics of the Veda,—such as the laying down of such¹ Duty’ as consists in wrongful sexual act and the like,—which are found in the works of the Decriers of the Veda also.

‘Wrongful sexual acts’—such as..... This is laid down in connection with the Gosava—sacrifice; where we read ‘Upahā udakam cūṣati, etc. etc.’—where ‘Upahā’ stands for the Sacrificer; who is spoken of as sucking water.....

In connection with the Aśvamedha and other sacrifices,—the killing of animals is laid down in the Veda; in such texts as—‘At midday, six hundred animals are used, etc. etc.’

Telling of Lies—has been taught in the text—‘Lying in joke does no harm; nor lying to women; or at the time of marriage; or when there is danger to life; or when there is danger of losing one’s entire property; on these five occasions Lying is not sinful’,

The mention of these is found in the Veda; and these are found in the works of the detractors of the Veda also.

‘Tathā’—also—‘Difficulty of pronouncing’,—‘Agreeableness,’ ‘Incomprehensibility’—such as in the Vedic text, ‘Āmandrairindra, etc; where the construction is difficult and far-fetched—‘ā’ being connected with ‘yāhi’ occurring later on ‘Disagreeable to the ear’.—‘Ādi’—includes broken words, ultra-long vowels, and difficulties of accentuation and so forth.

The capacity to cure poison, etc.—Or ‘removing of poison’ and ‘peculiar potency’,—‘Etc.’ includes the curing of obsession by elements and other evil spells.

‘True’—compatible with the real state of things.

‘Vainateya, etc.’—‘Etc.’ stands for the Incantations current among Buddhists and others.—(2787-2789)