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 3.1.65
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of verse 3.1.65:
तावतार्थस्य सिद्धत्वादेकत्वस्याव्यतिक्रमम् ।
केचिदिच्छन्ति न त्वत्र सङ्ख्याङ्गत्वेन गृह्यते ॥ ६५ ॥tāvatārthasya siddhatvādekatvasyāvyatikramam |
kecidicchanti na tvatra saṅkhyāṅgatvena gṛhyate || 65 ||65. As the act can be accomplished by that much (that is, by one) some think that there is no reason for by-passing the number one. In this way, the singular would not be (openly taught as) accessory to action.
Commentary
Others give some other reason than simplicity for considering the singular number to be significant.
[Read verse 65 above]
[Some argue that we come to many only after having passed one and as the sacrifice can be performed with one, we take one and not more than one. There is no special reason for by-passing the number one. The number one would serve the purpose (sāmarthya). Thus, due to simplicity and because it would serve the purpose, the singular number is significant.]