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 3.9.91
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of verse 3.9.91:
क्रियातिपत्तिरत्यन्तं क्रियानुत्पत्तिलक्षणा ।
न च भूतमनुत्पन्नं न भविष्यत्तथाविधम् ॥ ९१ ॥kriyātipattiratyantaṃ kriyānutpattilakṣaṇā |
na ca bhūtamanutpannaṃ na bhaviṣyattathāvidham || 91 ||91. The non-accomplishment of an action is its absolute non-production. Such a thing cannot be past or future.
Commentary
An objection is now raised to what is taught in P.3.3.139
[Read verse 91 above]
[The author has so far explained how an action is sometimes spoken of as being ‘present’ in the śāstra. In P. 3.3.139, non-accomplishment of an action is spoken of in relation to the past or the future, lṛṅ is taught instead of liṅ if there is past or future non-accomplishment of action to be expressed. For example: suvṛṣṭiś ced abhaviṣyat subhikṣam abhaviṣyat = ‘if there had been good rain, there would have been plenty of food’ or ‘if there would be good rain, there would be plenty of food.’ It is implied here that there was no good rain and, therefore, no abundance of food or that there would probably be no good rain and, therefore, no abundance of food either. It is objected here that what never took place is thought of as ‘past’ or that what might not take place at all is thought oi as future. This is not logical.]
The objection is answered.