Vakyapadiya (study of the concept of Sentence)
by Sarath P. Nath | 2018 | 36,088 words
This page relates ‘The Concept of Pratibha in Vakyapadiya’ of the study on Vakyapadiya by Bhartrhari and his treatment of the Concept of Sentence in Language. Bhartrhari was a great grammarian and philosopher who explored the depth and breadth of Sanskrit grammar. These pages analyse the concepts and discussions on sentence and sentence-meaning presented in the Vakyapadiya, against the different systems of knowledge prevalent in ancient India (such as Mimamsa, Nyaya and Vyakarana).
4. The Concept of Pratibhā in Vākyapadīya
As discussed, Sphoṭa is the auditory impression of the sentence uttered and Pratibhā is its meaning. According to Bhartṛhari, sentence is the basic meaningful unit in a communication and we understand the meaning as a flash of understanding in the light of Pratibhā. The sentence theory of Bhartṛhari is to be understood from the context of his general theory of knowledge,
Pratibhā. Bhartṛhari defines the very concept as:-
vichedagrahaṇe'rthānām pratibhānyaiva jāyate.
vākyārtha iti tāmāhuḥ padārthairupapāditām.
—(Vākyapadīya, 2.143)
When the meanings of the individual words in a sentence are understood separately, a flash of understanding takes place, which is different from the word-meanings and is called sentence-meaning. This meaning is brought about by the meanings of the individual words, but at the same time, it is unique as well as devoid of parts. Each utterance reveals the sphoṭa (an auditory impression) while Pratibhā immediately translates it into meaning. Bhartṛhari conceives the concept of Pratibhā in a unique manner that, he envisages it both semantically as well as psychologically. Pratibhā in the semantic perspective is the sentence-meaning. From the psychological point of view, it may be perceived as an 'intuitive instinct', which has intuitive powers ranging from instinctive knowledge of animals or birds to super-natural perceptions of yogis.