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" THE REVEALED WORD."
1073
TEXT (2284).
" THE CONTINGENCY OF THE order OR arrangement BEING REGARDED AS THE Word DOES NOT ARISE FOR US. BECAUSE THB order or arrangement AS SUBSISTING IN ANYTHING ELSE HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND TO BE ILLUMINATIVE (EXPRESSIVE)."-[Shloka
vārtika-ETERNALITY OF WORDS, 284).-(2284)
COMMENTARY. * Order 'consists in a certain sequential arrangement, any such arrangement cannot become expressive, -under our view; because it would not be universally true.---This is shown by the words_ Because, etc. etc.'--'Subsisting in anything else', -e.g. that subsisting in gems, pearls and so forth. -(2284)
Further, it is not only the order subsisting in the Letters that is held to be expressive.- Why -The reason is explained in the following:
TEXT (2285)
"As A MATTER OF FACT, THE ORDER OR ARRANGEMENT IS ONLY A PROPERTY OF THE LETTERS ; IT IS NOT REGARDED TO BE A DISTINCT ENTITY BY ITSELY. THE IDEA, IN FACT, IS THAT WHAT ARE EXPRESSIVE ARE the Letters as cognised in the said Order." [Shlokavārtika-ETERNALITY OF LETTERS, 286-287).
--(2285)
COMMENTARY. * Not a distinct entity'-.e, as expressive independently by itself. Otherwise, there would be real difference between the Property and the Object to which it belongs, which difference is not desirable.
Question What is it then that is expressive ? Answer: The idea in fact, etc. etc.'-' Ittham', in a particular order.
What is meant is as follows: It is not merely the Order that is expressive; -nor the Order as subsisting in the Letters ;-nor merely the Letters; what are expressive are the Letters as arranged in a certain order; hence in the matter of expression, the Order is not the principal factor; because the Letters are cognised as having the Order; hence the Order occupies only a secondary position; and it is the Letters that are recognised as the thing possessing that Order as their property. This is what is meant by the Tect.-(2285)
Two arguments have been urged (by the Opponent, under Text 2280) to the effect-(1) that the Lotters are the products of Articulation, and (2) that they are dependent upon the whim of the Speaker.-It is pointed out by the Mimamsaka in the following texts that both these Reasons are ' inadmissible :
