Vakyapadiya of Bhartrihari
by K. A. Subramania Iyer | 1965 | 391,768 words
The English translation of the Vakyapadiya by Bhartrihari including commentary extracts and notes. The Vakyapadiya is an ancient Sanskrit text dealing with the philosophy of language. Bhartrhari authored this book in three parts and propounds his theory of Sphotavada (sphota-vada) which understands language as consisting of bursts of sounds conveyi...
This book contains Sanskrit text which you should never take for granted as transcription mistakes are always possible. Always confer with the final source and/or manuscript.
Verse 1.148
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of verse 1.148:
अस्वगोण्यादयः शब्दाः साधवो विषयान्तरे ।
निमित्तभेदात् सर्वत्र साधुत्वं च व्यवस्थितम् ॥ १४८ ॥asvagoṇyādayaḥ śabdāḥ sādhavo viṣayāntare |
nimittabhedāt sarvatra sādhutvaṃ ca vyavasthitam || 148 ||148. Words like ‘asva’ and ‘goṇī’ are correct in regard to other meanings. Everywhere correctness is determined by the particular meaning which the word is to convey.
Commentary
The two words goṇī and asva are correct, the former in the sense of a receptacle and the latter in the sense of one who owns nothing. These two words which have acquired their correct form in regard to some other meanings are considered to be correct if, due to some special reason,1 they are used to denote an object having dew-lap etc. and one which neighs etc. respectively. When a cow carries much milk and is, therefore, like a receptable, one says: this cow is a receptacle because she is like a receptacle. In the same way, a horse (aśva) is called ‘asva’ when it is a priceless one.1 Therefore, till some feature is isolated on the basis of which correctness or incorrectness can be established, no object is definite.
Notes
1. Tathā sāsnādimati hreṣitādiliṅge ca.... tathāvidyamānaṃ svam asya so'yamasva iti. What is stated here that, in certain circumstances, the words ‘goṇī’ and ‘asva’, applied to a cow and to a horse respectively, would be correct. Figurative use of words is meant here. This passage of the Vṛtti should be compared with the commentary of Bhartṛhari on the M. Bhā (Paspaśāhnika), p. 13 (the edition now being printed in Benares) or p. 11 (of the edition of K. V. Abhyankar and V. P. Lirnaye) A.B.O.R.I., Vol. XLIII: Sa eva śabdo'rthaviśeṣe Kasminścidasādhurityetadākhyāyate. Yathā goṇīśabdaḥ sāsnādimatyasādhustathā aśvaśabdaḥ kesarādimati sādhur na niḥsva iti. asva iti nirdhane sādhuḥ, naikaśaphādilakṣaṇe. Yadi tu goṇīśabdo'pi nimittāntarāt sāsnādimati prayujyeta goṇīva goṇīti sādhur eva syāt. Aśve vā asvaśabdaṃ dhanābhāvadvārakam prayuñjīta sa sādhur eva.