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 3.6.18
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of verse 3.6.18:
चैतन्यवत् स्थिता लोके दिक्कालपरिकल्पना ।
प्रकृतिं प्राणिनां तां हि कोऽन्यथा स्थापयिष्यति ॥ १८ ॥caitanyavat sthitā loke dikkālaparikalpanā |
prakṛtiṃ prāṇināṃ tāṃ hi ko'nyathā sthāpayiṣyati || 18 ||18. The assumption of the existence of Direction (Dik) and Time (Kāla) is as established as that of Consciousness. Who indeed would order otherwise that which is the very nature of living beings?
Commentary
[Even a thing which exists is as good as non-existent if it is not cognised, because it cannot fulfil any purpose. Consciousness is, therefore, accepted by all disputants. The self is of the nature of consciousness. Similarly, Direction and Time are based on our cognitions. As explained before, things have neither difference nor identity, neither existence nor non-existence. They appear in many colours on account of beginningless avidyā. All experiences take place in time and direction. Otherwise they would not lead to any pur- poseful activity. It is the nature of beings (prakṛtiṃ prāṇinām) to have experiences in dik and kāla.]