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"THE REVEALED WORD."
1259
TEXTS (2785-2786). IF IT WERE KNOWN FOR CERTAIN THAT MEN ARE UNABLE TO BRING ABOUT THE SAID ORDER OF LETTERS, ETC. THEN ALONE WOULD THERE BE THE INVARIABLE CONCOMITANCE DESIRED BY THE OTHER PARTY. THAT, HOWEVER, CAN NEVER BE KNOWN FOR CERTAIN ; SUCH A CERTAINTY COULD BE OBTAINED ONLY IF THE CAPACITY AND PROPERTY OF ALL MEN WERE PERCEPTIBLE ; AND THIS COULD BE POSSIBLE ONLY FOR A PERSON WHO IS OMNISCIENT.
(2785-2786)
COMMENTARY * Such order'-as is found in the case of such Vedic sentences as Svargakimo' gnisfomēna yajeta'.-If it were known for certain that all men were unable to compose such collocations of letters, then there might be certainty relating to the Invariable Concomitance (Premiss) urged by the other party. As a matter of fact, however, the said fact cannot be known except by an omniscient person. This is what is pointed out by the words This would be possible only for an omniscient person'-(2785-2786)
Says the Opponent-" There are certain characteristics in the Vedasuch as Teaching of Duty, difficulty of pronunciation and the like-- which are never found in the words of men ; whence it follows that it is inconceivable that the Veda should be the work of man ; under the circumstances, how can our Reason be open to the charge of being doubtful and hence inadmissible ?"
The answer to this is as follows:
TEXTS (2787–2789). IT IS CLEARLY CONCEIVABLE THAT THE VEDA IS THE WORK OF MAN; AS IT SPEAKS OF WRONGFUL SEXUAL ACTS, KILLING OF ANIMALS AND TELLING OF LIES.-AS FOR THE CHARACTER OF BEING DIFFICULT TO PRONOUNCE, THE AGREEABLENESS OF SOUND, DIFFICULTY OF COMPREHENSION, disagreeableness to the ear AND SO FORTH, THESE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VEDA ARE FOUND IN THE WORKS OF DECRIERS OF THE VEDA ALSO.-AS REGARDS SUCH PROPERTIES As capacity to cure poison, ETC. THAT ARE FOUND TO BE TRUE,—THIS IS FOUND ALSO IN THE CASE OF INCANTATIONS LAID DOWN BY Vainatēya AND
SUCH PERSONS.-(2787-2789)
COMMENTARY. What the Author means is as follows :-Even if certain characteristics are not found in human assertions,-mere non-perception cannot prove
