Jain Journal 2004 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 49

250
JAIN JOURNAL: VOL-XXXVIII, NO.4 APRIL. 2004
Lakşaņā indicates the figurative meaning of a word (laksvārtha). By lakṣaņā a new meaning of a word is indicated along with the principal or current meaning of a word. How the meaning of lakşaņā is acquired, is very well-explained by Amareshwar Thakur in his Introduction (at p. 28) to the Kāvyaprakāśa of Mammata (bet. 1050 and 1100 A.D.):
“When the current meaning is barred by incompatibility and another meaning connected with the current meaning (vācyārtha) comes to be attached to the word either through usage (rūdhi=prasiddhi or prayogavāha) or for a special purpose (prayojana) then the function (vrtti) by which this new meaning is presented is alled lakṣaṇā.”
Two examples are given for lakṣaņā: one is karmaṇi kusalaḥ “expert in work and the other is gangāyām ghoṣaḥ 'a ghosa resides in the Ganges.' Here in karmaṇi kusalaḥ the primary meaning of kušala 'a collector of kusa grass' (kusam lāti iti) is barred by its figurative meaning expert’-which meaning has come from the primary meaning as a gatherer of kusa grass, because the gathering of kusa requires discrimination, and as a result, secondary meaning 'expert' is sanctioned by usage. In the second example, gangāyām ghoṣaḥ, the primary meaning river is barred, because a ghoşa (a village of cowherds) cannot reside in the river. Naturally, the meaning of the Gangā will be gargātaţa the bank of the Ganges.”
Vyañjanā directly means the 'power of suggestion.' Vyangārtha. therefore, ineans “a suggested or implied meaning of a word.'
The implied meaning of a word is that meaning which gives rise to another meaning to be understood by persons inundated with the qualities of a genius. This vyangārtha meaning depends upon (i) the speaker, (ii) the person spoken to, (iii) intonation of a language, i.e. the change of voice indicating emotions, (iv) the sentence, (v) the expressed meaning, (vi) the presence of another person, (vii) context, (viii) place and (ix) time. All the suggested meanings which give rise to another meaning is conveyed by the words and so words constitute a contributing factor for the suggestion of the meaning.
Even though these three are the powers of a word, the inner power of a word is vrtti (function) or sakti (power) or sanketa