Verse 3138

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

समस्तावयवव्यक्तिविस्तरज्ञानसाधनम् ।
काकदन्तपरीक्षावत्क्रियमाणमनर्थकम् ॥ ३१३८ ॥

samastāvayavavyaktivistarajñānasādhanam |
kākadantaparīkṣāvatkriyamāṇamanarthakam || 3138 ||

“If an attempt were made to prove that one has the knowledge of the details of all individuals and components of the whole world,—it would be as futile as the investigation of the crow’s teeth.”—(3138)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

The following Text points out the futility of assuming the Omniscient Person:—[see verse 3138 above]

‘Components’—Hands and Feet, etc.—‘Individuals’—in the shape of the particular trees, Dhava, Khadira, Palāśa and so forth.—‘Samasta, etc.’—all components and individuals;—the ‘details’ of these are in the shape of atoms, hairs, leaves and so forth;—one who has the knowledge of all this is ‘Samasta... jñāna’,—the term ‘jñāna’ standing for one who knows—the ‘Lyuṭ-affix’ in ‘jñāna’ denoting the active agent;—any attempt to prove,—establish the presence of—such a knower—would be absolutely futile; that is, because, being impossible and not having any bearing upon Dharma and Adharma, it can be of no use in fulfilling any purpose of man.—(3138)

This same idea is further supported by means of an illustration:—[see verse 3139 next]