Tattva Sangraha Vol 2

SR No.: 007609
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kamlashila, Ganganatha Jha
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra
Publication Year: 1939
Total Pages: 887
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 84 MB

Page 347

1072
TATTVASANGRAHA : CHAPTER XXIV.
Then again, what comes about through the man's desire to speak must be treated by the intelligent as of human origin.-like the shaking of the hands, the winking of the Eye and so forth and the Order of the Letters (in a word) comes about by the desire of man-hence this is a Reason based upon the nature of things.-(2280-2281)
It might be urged that the Lotters themselves, without any order, as they become heard by the Ear, would express the meaning,
The Opponent's answer to this is as follows:
TEXTS (2282-2283).
"WORDS, WITHOUT SOME ORDER, HAVE NEVER BEEN KNOWN TO BE EXPRESSIVE; HENCE IT IS THE ORDER (OR ARRANGEMENT) WHICH SHOULD BE REGARDED AS THE Word. FOR THOSE PEOPLE ALONE, ACCORDING TO WHOM THE Word IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM THE LETTERS, AND DEVOID OF ANY ORDER OF SEQUENCE (OR ARRANGEMENT), CAN THE ASSUMPTION OF THE ETERNALITY OF WORDS HAVE ANY USE."-[Shlokavārtika-ETERNALITY OF WORDS, 282-283).
(2282-2283)
COMMENTARY
The Letters themselves, withont any order, have nover been found to be expressive of moanings; hence a definito order or arrangement of Lotters has got to be admitted. Under the circumstances, it is the order that comes to be the Word, and also expressive,--for you, Mimāmsakas; and all this character cannot belong to the Letters themselves.
This Order, however, is something non-eternal; hence what is expressive must also be non-eternal; hence the assumption of the eternality of Words is absolutely futile. Because what is desired by you is to prove the eternnlity of only that Word which is expressive, not of any other; hence the proofs that you adduce in support of the Letters only are of no use in the matter under consideration ; because the mere Lotters are not expressite -- then as regards what is expressive, i.e. the order or arrangement of the Lotters,-it is not regarded as eternal; hence all your effort is futile.
There are some people, e.g. the Grammarians, who regard the Sphota, which is an impartite entity as a whole, apart from the Letters, to be expressive for those people alone the assumption of the eternality of the Word can have any use; because the said entity Spota' is eternal.(2282-2283)
To the above arguments of the Opponent, the Mimāmsaka offers the following reply :