Verse 3.3.42

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of verse 3.3.42:

एवं च प्रतिषेध्येषु प्रतिषेधप्रक्लृप्तये ।
आश्रितेषुपचारेण प्रतिषेधः प्रवर्तते ॥ ४२ ॥

evaṃ ca pratiṣedhyeṣu pratiṣedhapraklṛptaye |
āśriteṣupacāreṇa pratiṣedhaḥ pravartate || 42 ||

42. Similarly, negation relates to the objects of negation, resorted to through secondary usage, in order that negation may be possible.

Commentary

Association with opposites is now being shown.

[Read verse 42 above]

[It is only on the view that the object which figures in the mind is capable of assuming different forms that such expressions as non-brāhmin (abrāhmaṇa) can be explained, that the use of the negative particle in them can be accounted for. If words denote things which have an external Being, how can we say abrāhmaṇa? In the person to whom the word is applied, there is no brāhmaṇa-hood in reality. The word brāhmaṇa cannot, therefore, be applied to him. But if it is applied, the negative particle cannot be joined to it. But on the view that the meaning of words has a secondary Being, which is common to positive and negative objects, the expression abrāhmaṇa can be explained. The word brāhmaṇa would denote the quality of being a brahmin attributed, say, to a Kṣattriya on the basis of resemblance. This attribution is thus the object which is going to be negatived. It has come in through upacāra, secondary usage, which supplies the thing to be negatived, without which there cannot be negation. So what happens in abrāhmaṇa is this—The negative particle denies real brāhmaṇa-hood attributed to somebody either through mistake or resemblance.]

See M. Bhā on P. 2.2.6 and the Pradīpa thereon. The difficulty which arises if words denote things having external reality only is now pointed out.