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JOHANNES BRONKHORST
Some sūtras of the present Mimāmsāsūtra support the idea of apauruşe yatva and its consequences, at least in the interpretation of Sabara. Francis X. Clooney (1990: 51) agrees, and points out that "apauruşeyatva finds its roots, through (sic; this must no doubt be though) not explicit mention, in Jaimini's text". Without saying as much, he probably thinks here of sūtras 1.1.27-32, which he translates as follows (p. 166-167):
1.1.27 vedamś caike samnikarşam purusākhyah | Some people say that the Vedas are similarly (i.e. like sentences in the ordinary world, JB) composed (samnikarsa) because they are named after persons 1.1.28 aniryadarśanac ca Also, because we find ephemeral things (mentioned in the Veda). 1.1.29 ukram tu sabdapūrvatvam But we have already explained that the word is prior (to usage: sabdapúrvalvam). 1.1.30 akhya pravacanát The names (connected with various texts) are due to expounding (and not due to composing) the texts. 1.1.31 param tu śrutisāmänyamatram In regard to the latter argument (28), there is merely a similarity of sounds (fruti samanyamátram). 1.1.32 krte va viniyogah syat karmanah sambandhät (In contrast with the words of ordinary language, Vedic words) apply to what has been accomplished; for words are thus related to action.
Sabara and Clooney may be right in their interpretation of these sutras. If so, we must conclude that two of the above-mentioned three elements - anăditva and apauruşeyatva, along with their consequences - were not introduced by Sabara, but well before him. We cannot however conclude with certainty that the notion of apauruşeyatva, along with the consequences which the Mimāmsā draws from it, already existed at the time of, and found expression in, the hypothetical original Mimāmsāsūtra, the source of the more recent Pūrva- and Uttara-mimāmsāsūtras. As already observed by Parpola (1981: 151-152) and others before him, it seems certain that the Mimāmsāsūtra as we have it contains interpolated passages.
At this point we must try to refine our understanding of the idea of a Veda without beginning and its consequences. The idea that the Veda is eternal in itself appears to be old, and may have also been current in other circles than only those of the early Mimāmsakas. Early (and datable) evidence occurs in the Mahābhāsya of Patañjali, which may convey a reliable impression of the way in which at least some Brahmins thought about this issue in the 2nd century preceding the common era:
Has it not been stated that Vedic texts are not made, that Vedic texts are eternal? (True, but) even though their meaning is eternal, the sequence of their sounds is not eemal.
