________________
GOMMATASARA.
195
Commentary. All the intervening grades from 2-letter to the maximum numerable-letters-knowledge, excepting the last, viz., Pada, are included . in the term letter-class-knowledge Akshara-Samása.
सोलससयचउतीसा कोडी तियसीदिलक्खयं चेव । सत्तसहस्साहसया अट्टासीदी य पदवण्णा ॥ ३३६ ॥ षोडशशतचतुस्त्रिंशत्कोट्यः त्र्यशीतिलक्षकं चैव । सप्तसहस्राण्यष्टशतानि अष्टाशीतिश्च पदवर्णाः ॥ ३३६ ॥
386. The letters (Varna-Akshara) of a foot or (Pada) are (1631,83,07,888) sixteen hundred thirty four crores, eighty-three lacs and seven thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight.
Commentary. Foot or Pada is of 3 kinds: -
(1) Arthapada meaning foot a combination of letters which conveys some meaning as "bring fire" "Agnim Anaya."
(2) Pramana-pada, measure-foot, a fixed number of letters or syllables necessary for a particular kind of combination in prose or poetry, such as, “ I bow to the Lord Mahávíra" (namah Shri-varddha Mánáya) Here the foot, consists of letters, forming a fourth part of verse of the metre called Anushțupa.
(3) Maddhyama-Pada-middle-foot. It comprises 1634,83,07,888 letters as said in the above gatha. This pada is used as a unit of measurement, in describing the contents of the different Angas or parts of the scriptural-knowledge in gatha 350 and those which follow.
एयपदादो उवरि एगेगेणखरेण वढूंतो। संखेजसहस्प्तपदे उड्डे संघादणाम सुदं ॥ ३३७॥ एकपदादुपरि एकैकेनाक्षरेण वर्धमानाः । संख्येयसहस्रपदे वृद्ध संघातनाम श्रुतम् ॥ ३३७॥
337. One foot (pada), increasing upto numerable thousand (Padas), the increase of letters being one by one, constitutes (the division) of scriptural (knowledge) named "Sanghata."
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