Verse 1.91

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of verse 1.91:

यथानुपूर्वीनियमो विकारे क्षीरबीजयोः ।
तथैव प्रतिपत्तॄणां नियतो बुद्धिषु क्रमः ॥ ९१ ॥

yathānupūrvīniyamo vikāre kṣīrabījayoḥ |
tathaiva pratipattṝṇāṃ niyato buddhiṣu kramaḥ || 91 ||

91. Just as there is a definite sequence in the transformation of milk or of the seed in the same way, there is a definite sequence in which the cognitions of perceivers take place in regard to the word (sentence).

Commentary

Just as, according to the creation theory or the manifestation theory, milk, prompted by its transformation clarified butter etc., passes through definite stages like curds, having or not having their special names, preserves, as far as possible, the presence of the properties of the original material and, without violating the fixed sequence of the stages, shows the transformation which prompted it; or rice-seed, prompted by its transformation, the rice-grains, passes through the inevitable stages like stalk, sprout etc. and appears as its main transformation which prompted it, in the same way, the cognitions of ordinary hearers, prompted by the main result, the understanding of the meaning of the sentence, preceded by the grasping of the form of the sentence, show, when the effect having its fixed means has to be brought about, appearances of parts having fixed sequence and proceed to perceive the sphoṭas (the words)¹.

Notes

1. The use of the expressions prayuktam, prayojikām, prayojakena and prayuktānām is based on the idea, a figurative one, that the effect prompts its own cause to act in such a manner that the effect is produced. Vṛ. puts it in this way: Pradhānaṃ Kāryasyātmalābhāya Kāraṇāni prayuṅkte = Primordial matter sets in motion the causes in order that the effect may come to be. The activity of Primordial Matter is attributed to the effect itself. This verse is quoted in Sphoṭa-siddhi, p. 159.