Abhidha

Author(s): Tapasvi Nandi, Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 53

[44]
'Anumeya' or inferred meaning is that, in whose apprehension, the
y meaning or vācyārtha serves as 'hetu' or 'linga' i. e. cause, or the ‘hetu' can also be that meaning which is derived from the primary sense. -- "tata eva, tad anumitad vā linga-bhūtād arthāntaram anumiyate, sah anumeyah.” (pp. 47, ibid). We know that Bhartặhari incorporates all meaning other than the primary in 'gauna' or secondary, but for Mahima all meaning else than primary is 'anumeya'. The primary meaning for Mahimā is also the 'mukhya' or principal sense. Mahima accepts the relationship between word and meaning as conventional. Word gives meaning only when there is convention to that effect. He rejects the view that a word can ever convey such a meaning which is other than primary, i. e. one with reference to which a convention is not formed. He feels that any other meaning, beyond the primary one, can never be collected by the function of a word
hat such added sense is arrived at by inference, the primary sense serving as 'hetu' or cause in it. We have seen that Mahimā therefore rejects all other functions such as lakṣaṇā, tātparya and vyañjană as functions of a word and subsumes them under anumāna' or inference.
Mahimā of course accepts the added sense or what may be called the unexpressed sense. This, for Mahimā is threefold viz. (i) vastumātra i. e. of the form of vastu' or a mattor of fact or idea, (ii) alamkāra i.e. figures of speech or artful expression, and (iii) rasādayaśca, i. e. the emotive stuff such as feelings, sentiments etc. The first two could be directly expressed, but for Mahimā, the third variety is 'anumeya' or 'inferred only, The direct meaning of a word is always expressed, it being without parts and there being no relation of 'sādhya' or that which is to be established, and ‘sādhana' or the instrument with which it is established, between the two i.e. vācya artha' and 'śabda'. He observes : (pp. 47 ibid) : "sa ca trividhah. vastumātram alamkārā rasādayaśca. iti. tatra ādyau vācyau api sambhavataḥ. anyas tvanumeya eva iti. tatra padasya artho vācya eva, na anumeyaḥ, tasya nir amśatvāt, sadhyasādhana-bhāvā'bhāvatah'. Mahimā, like Anandavardhana, also believes that the vācya or expressed is not so charming as is the unexpressed or inferred : "vācyo hyartho na tathā camatkāram ātanoti yathā sa eva vidhi-niședhādiḥ kākväbhidheyatām anumeyatām và avatirnah iti svabhäva eva ayam