Verse 2.52 - The three sexes (signs–veda)

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha sūtra 2.52:

शेषास्त्रिवेदाः ॥ २.५२ ॥

śeṣāstrivedāḥ || 2.52 ||

The rest of the beings are of the three sexes (signs–veda). (52)

Hindi Anvayarth:

अन्वयार्थ: [शेषाः] शेष के गर्भज मनुष्य और तिर्यंच [त्रिवेदाः] तीनों वेद वाले होते हैं।

Anvayartha: [sheshah] shesha ke garbhaja manushya aura tiryamca [trivedah] tinom veda vale hote haim |

Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:

How many genders are there among the rest?

Those with the three sexes (signs–veda) are of three signs (veda). What are the three signs (veda)? These are feminine-sign (strīveda), masculine-sign (puruṣaveda) and neuter-sign (napuṃsakaveda). How are these established? That which is felt is ‘veda’. It means the sign (liṅga). It is of two kinds, physical (dravyaliṅga) and psychical (bhāvaliṅga). The physical sign is accomplished by the rise of the name-karmas of the yoni, the genitals, etc. The psychical sign is accomplished by the rise of the quasi-passions (nokaṣāya). The being in whom conception occurs on the rise of female-feeling karmas is a woman (strī). The being who, on the rise of the masculine-sign (puruṣaveda), produces offspring is a man (puruṣa). The being who is devoid of these two capacities is a neuter-sex (napuṃsaka). These are words of traditional usage. In such words the activity is used for the purpose of derivation. For instance, that which goes is a cow. Otherwise, in the absence of activities such as conceiving and producing offspring, the young and the old among animals and human beings, the celestial beings and those in transit with karmic (kārmaṇa) bodies cannot be designated male and female. These three signs occur among the rest, that is, those who have uterine-birth (garbhaja-janma).