Cattle Field And Barley Note On Mahabhasya

Author(s): A Wezler
Publisher: A Wezler

Page 9

CATTLE, FIELD AND BARLEY
439
kşetrasthānām iti / idam upalaksaņam bijāvasthānām api bhakșane himsāsattvāt // himsānge iti / idam ubhayasādhāraṇam / tatrādye yavān himsan bhakşayatīty arthaḥ, dvitī ye tu parān ity adhyāhāryam / parān himsan yavān bhakşayatity arthaḥ 7 atrādyam eva yuktam bhāsyasvarasād ity āhuḥ|| udāharaṇakakşāyām bhakşayantiti bahuvacanapāthe tatsvāmina iti śeṣaḥ ll. "The verb bhakşayati does not in the example ['Devadatta eats a ball of rice etc.'] denote an act of himsā because a ball of rice etc. is not a living being. [Kaiyața] saysOn account of the fact ...because [one might ask] how [the verb bhakşayati] can denote an act of himsā also if [the action denoted by it] refers to barley plants as these too are nonsentient [beings]. [What Kaiyața says, viz. that an act of himsā is committed if barley plants in the field are eaten while they are in the stage of shooting forth etc.) implies something he does not state explicitly, viz. that injury is in fact done also when barley which is still in the stage of grains is eaten...the verb bhakşayati is used...: This holds equally good for both [alternatives, for) as for the first of them, what is meant is that [an ox] by eating them injures the barley plants; in the second case, however, the word 'others' has to be supplemented, [for,] what is [then] meant is that [an ox] by eating the barley plants does harm to others (i.è. other people). And it is said, of these two [alternatives] the first one alone is correct because it is in agreement with the intention of the Bhășya. If [in the second example) the plural form bhakşayanti is read and if [thus both] the examples are paralleled, then the subject] 'their owners' has to be supplied'. 21