Verse 1.14

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of verse 1.14:

तद् द्वारमपवर्गस्य वाङ्मलानां चिकित्सितम् ।
पवित्रं सर्वविद्यानामधिविद्यं प्रकाशते ॥ १४ ॥

tad dvāramapavargasya vāṅmalānāṃ cikitsitam |
pavitraṃ sarvavidyānāmadhividyaṃ prakāśate || 14 ||

14. It (Grammar) is the door to salvation, the remedy for all the impurities of speech, the purifier of all the sciences and shines in every branch of knowledge.

Commentary

¹One, who, with a previous knowledge of the correct forms of words, realises the unity of the real word, goes beyond sequence and attains union with it. By acquiring special merit through the use of the correct word, he is united with the great Word and attains freedom from the senses.² After having reached the undifferentiated state of the word, he comes to the source of all differentiation: Intuition (pratibhā). From that Intuition in which all Being is latent and which, due to the repetition of the union (mentioned above) tends to produce its result, he reaches the Supreme Source in which all differentiation in completely lost. What is meant by ‘the remedy for all impurities of speech’ is that it is like the science of Medicine (Ayurveda) in regard to the defects of the body. One who knows grammar does not use the corrupt forms which are the cause of sin. It has been said that.

“Knowledge (of the correct forms) is his refuge” (M. Bhā. I, p. 2, 1. 28.).

What is meant by ‘purifier of all the sciences’ is that correctness (saṃskāra) is known through it. In all the sciences, it is ths (correct) words which convey the meaning. It has been said:—

“Whatever is learnt and not understood but is merely uttered as it is, is like dry fuel without fire; it will never burn.”³

There is also the following verse cited by those who have not gone astray:—

“On the earth, water is the purest of things; of the (purified) waters, it is the sacred hymns (mantras) which are the purifying agents and the sages have declared that it is the science of Grammar which reveals the purity of the sacred hymns, Sāman, Ṛk and Yajus.”

What is meant by ‘shines in every branch of knowledge’ is that everybody follows the science of grammar even for composing a work on his own special subject and is very careful to avoid the use of corrupt forms.

Notes

1. This verse is understood in the Vṛtti as describing the stages through which the grammarian goes in attaining mokṣa. Vṛ. says: etasyā eva brahmaprāpteḥ kramam idānīṃ varṇayann āha avyavakīrṇām iti. Some, however, think that different forms of liberation are set forth here.

One thing to be noted is that Bhartṛhari, in the Vṛtti, speaks about going from pratibhā which is understood by Vṛ. as Paśyantī, to Parā Prakṛti. In other words, there is a stage beyond Paśyantī called Parā Prakṛtiḥ. Paśyantī itself is called sarvavikārāṇāṃ prakṛtiḥ. Thus Paśyantī is prakṛti and after that comes parā prakṛtiḥ.

2. Vaikaraṇyam = apagatendriyatām (Vṛ.). The same word is used in the Vṛtti on verse 5 to describe one of the alternative conception of mokṣa.

3. Ni. 1. 18.