Chapter 4.1 - Subordinateness (Aṅgatva)

We should know specially about subordinateness (aṅgatva) of accessoriness. The great Jaimini said, ‘śeṣaḥ parārthatvāt’.^[1]

It means, ‘the accessory is by reason of its being for the sake of others.’ The śeṣa or accessory matter helps others to complete their functions. According to Bādari the substance, quality and purificatory acts are śeṣa. According to him, the helping factors are called śeṣa. So, a potsherd can be considered as śeṣa., for it helps the sacrificial work. Likewise, the reddish colour is also śeṣa, for it helps an action through the substances which are qualified by that colour. The purificatory acts like threshing corn, sprinkling water etc. are also regarded as śeṣa, for these acts brings suitability to the substances used in sacrifice by eradicating their defects or by bringing some extra good qualities to them. But Bādari says that the actions, fruit or result and person can not be śeṣa, for these do not help others. Sacrifice is a duty of a person. A duty must be performed without any target keeping in mind. So, sacrifice is not a beneficial action to a person. So, it is not śeṣa. Likewise, the result is also not enjoined for a person, but only this much is laid down that the person wishing that result should sacrifice. So, result is not a śeṣa. A person is independent. So, it is also not a śeṣa.

But Jaimini says,

‘karmāṇyapi jaiminiḥ phalārthatvāt’^[2]

(According to Jaimini actions are also included under it by reason of their being for a fruit).

An action is done for getting a result. So, actions are also regarded as śeṣa. Similarly, the result is for the person.^[3] The performer of the sacrifice is the enjoyer of the result produced from the sacrifice in his self. So, the result is a quality of the performer. The result goes to the performer. It is indicated by the ātmanepada suffix of the optative suffix. So, result is also a śeṣa. Not only that, a person is also a śeṣa by reason of its being for an act.

So, Jaimini says,

‘puruṣaśca karmārthatvāt.’^[4]

There is an instruction in Veda that the stick made out of the udumbara tree will be as long as a person. In this example, the person has become the quality of the stick. So, the person also sometimes becomes śeṣa by the reason of being used for others. So, the conclusion is that the actions, result and person are also regarded as śeṣa.

After quoting the opinion of Upavarṣa, the commentator Śabarsvāmin said that substance, quality and purificatory actions are independent śeṣa. Always these become the accessories of sacrifice. But sacrifice, result and person—these become śeṣa with respect to some other materials.

So, Śabarsvāmin writes,—

“athedānīm atra bhagavān vṛttikāraḥ pariniścikāya. dravyaguṇasaṃs-kāreṣu eva niyato yajiṃ prati śeṣabhāvaḥ, āpekṣika ītareṣām.”^[5]

A sacrifice is principal to substance and it is subordinate to result. A result is principal to sacrifice and it is accessory to person. Similarly, a person is principal to result and it is subordinate to the measurement of the audumbarī stick. In the sentence ‘dadhnā juhoti’ (One should sacrifice with curd.) curd is śesa to sacrifice and sacrifice becomes aṅgin. In ‘yajeta svārgakāmaḥ’ (One desiring heaven should sacrifice.) the sacrifice is subordinate to heaven, for sacrifice is enjoined for heaven. In the injunction ‘juhuyāt svargakāmaḥ’ (One desirous of heaven should make oblation to gods) offering of the oblations is enjoined for getting heaven. So, offering of the oblations is śesa and heaven is aṅgin. The word ‘pārārthya’ means ‘the state of being used for others.’

Paṇḍitarāja Paṭṭābhirāma Sāstrin explained the word ‘pārārthya’ in his original Sanskrit commentary ‘Arthāloka’ on ‘Arthasaṃgraha’ of Laugākṣi Bhāskara—

“sūtrakārābhihitāṅgatvalakṣaṇaṃ pārārthyam eva paroddeśapravṛtta-kṛtivyāpyatvarūpam. vyāpyatvaṃ cātra kārakatvarūpam. paraṃ prayojanarū-pam uddiśya pravṛttapuruṣasya kṛtiḥ tatkārakatvaṃ dadhivrīhyādīnām iti tāni aṅgāni. evaṃrūpāḥ kriyāḥ api aṅgabhāvaṃ bhajante prayājādayaḥ. kintu tatra aṅgatāgrāhakapramāṇānusāreṇa aṅgatvaṃ jñātavyaṃ bhavati.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Mīmāṃsādarśanam—3.1.2

[2]:

Ibid—3.1.4

[3]:

Ibid—3.1.5

[4]:

Ibid—3.1.6

[5]:

Śābarabhāṣya on Mīmāṃsādarśanam—3.1.6