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SAHRDAYĀLOKA Pratibhā is the source of all popular usages, and serves as the most reliable evidence determining the ultimate reason for one's particular inclination (pravstti) :
"pramānatvena tām lokah
sarvaḥ samanupaśyati.” V.P. II. 149 It is seen in the human beings as well as in all creatures alike :
"samārambhāh pratīyante
tiraścām api tādịśāt.” V.P. II. 14 cd. The swan, the moment it comes out of its egg, begins to swim, the younger-one of a monkey clings to the branch of a tree and the newly born babe sucks its mother. Thus, the existence of pratibhā is self-certifying. It flashes upon a being as an intellectual heritage by the force of abhyāsa i.e. practice, experienced in the long chain of previous cycles of births : Punyarāja observes - "janmántarábhyāsa-hetukā iyam” - on V.P. II. 149. The cuckoo pours its music in the spring, the birds build their nests, and their simple mode of dancing, jumping, amusement, jealousy, and the very manner of their collecting food etc. are inborn with them, and all this is due to pratibhā, according to Bhartrhari :
"svaravsttim vikurute madhau pumskokilasya kah, jantv ādayah kulāyā”dikarane kena śikṣitāḥ." - II. 151, āhāra-prīty-abhidveșaplavanā"di-kriyāsu kaḥ, jātyanvaya-prasiddhāsu
prayoktā mrga-paksinām." - II. 152 Thus, pratibhā actually means the same as instinct. Bharthari concludes that the use of words rouses this innate intelligence : Punyarāja observes : - "pratibhāyāś ca sabda eva mülam iti äha." and also -
“bhāvanánugatād etad āgamād eva jāyate, āsatti-viprakarsābhyām āgamas tu viśisyate.” V.P. II. 53
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