Verse 1.99

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of verse 1.99:

प्रकाशकानां भेदांश्च प्रकाश्योऽर्थोऽनुवर्तते ।
तैलोदकादिभेदे तत् प्रत्यक्षं प्रतिबिम्बके ॥ ९९ ॥

prakāśakānāṃ bhedāṃśca prakāśyo'rtho'nuvartate |
tailodakādibhede tat pratyakṣaṃ pratibimbake || 99 ||

99. The thing that is revealed follows the differences of the revealors. This is evident in the case of reflections in such different reflectors as oil, water etc.

Commentary

Another opposite view is now put forward—The word is is not manifested because (in its case) increase, decrease and difference in number of the manifestors are seen in the manifested (the word). When there is increase and decrease of the manifestors, increase and decrease of the manifested are not found. Increase and decrease of (the light of) lamps (the manifestors) do not cause increase and decrease of jars etc. Nor does any variation in the number of lamps cause any change in the original number of jars etc. In the case of the word, on the other hand, one sees variation in number and magnitude following variation in the striking of the vocal organs. Therefore, the word is not manifested.

This argument is answered as follows—one does see that the manifested follow the variations of the manifestors. It is as follows—When the surface of the mirror is sunk, the reflection of the face is raised, when the surface of the mirror is raised, the reflection of the face is sunk. In a dagger, the reflection of the face is long, in mustard oil, it is dark, in a Chinese dagger, Greek crystal etc. it follows the dimensions of the reflector. Thus possibilities of variation are infinite. Difference of number is also seen in the case of the reflections of the sun etc. when there are many mirrors and many waves of water.²

Notes

1. It is not clear what specific objects are meant by cīnaśastra and yavanakāca. Obviously, they could reflect objects.

2. The Vṛtti may be compared with the following passage from the Mahābhāṣyaṭīkā of Bhartṛhari—

“Yasyāpi śābdavyaktiḥ tasyāpi nityaḥ Śabdaḥ. Sa tu nādābhivyaṅgyaḥ. padaniyato nādaḥ. Yathā cakṣurādayo niyatā abhivyañjakā abhivyaṅgyeṣu rūpādiṣu. rūpavṛddhirāsānuvidhāyinaśca. Yathādarśamaṇḍalādiṣu pratibimbāni dīrghāṇi parimaṇḍalāni mahānti anyāni ca dṛśyante evaṃ śabdā api nādabhedena bhidyante. Yathā salile taraṅgabhede naikaś candro'neka upalaghyate, pradīpabhedācca chāyā bhidyate, ādarśabhedācca pratibimbabhedaḥ. Tasmānniyatānādābhivyaṅgyā hrādavṛddhihrāsānuvidhāyino vyaktiśabdā api nityāḥ.

Mahābhāṣyadīpikā of Bhartṛhari, p. 20 (A.B.O.R.I, XLIII).

It might be said that the reflection which has entered a mirror etc. is different from its originals like the moon etc. Against this, the answer is—

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