Verse 2807-2808

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

नराविज्ञातरूपार्थे तमोभूते ततः स्थिते ।
वेदेऽनुरागो मन्दानां स्वाचारे पारसीकवत् ॥ २८०७ ॥
अविज्ञाततदर्थाश्च पापनिष्यन्दयोगतः ।
तथैवामी प्रवर्त्तन्ते प्राणिहिंसादिकल्मषे ॥ २८०८ ॥

narāvijñātarūpārthe tamobhūte tataḥ sthite |
vede'nurāgo mandānāṃ svācāre pārasīkavat || 2807 ||
avijñātatadarthāśca pāpaniṣyandayogataḥ |
tathaivāmī pravarttante prāṇihiṃsādikalmaṣe || 2808 ||

The Veda thus is something of which the exact form or subject-matter is not known to men,—and hence it is like dense darkness, for which only dull-witted persons can have an attachment;—like the attachment of the Pārasīkas to their customs. Hence, like the Pārasīkas, those dull-witted persons also, ignorant of its meaning, have recourse to such sinful acts as the killing of animals and the like,—under the influence of the fruition of their past wicked deeds.—(2807-2808)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

It has been argued by the Mīmāṃsaka, under Text 2351, that—“Thus, like Light, the Veda being the ‘Eye’ for all men, etc. etc.”.

The answer to this is as follows:—[see verses 2807-2808 above]

‘Rūpa’—form, text;—‘abhidheya’—subject-matter.—‘That of which both these are unknown to men?

There is ignorance of the ‘form’ of the Veda; as one cannot, either by himself, or with the help of others, determine whether this is the exact letter, or some other letter, in the Text.

Similarly there is uncertainty regarding the subject-matter, meaning, of the Veda.

For these reasons, the Veda is like ‘dense darkness’,—there being no light illumining it.

‘Past wicked deeds?—i.e. evil impressions left by past misdeeds;—the ‘nisyanda’, fruition of that.

‘Like them’—i.e. Like the Pārasīkas.—(2807-2808)