1490 Verse 2300-2301

Original

कालश्चैको विभुर्नित्यः प्रविभक्तोऽपि गम्यते ।
वर्णवत्सर्वभावेषु व्यज्यते केनचित्क्वचित् ॥ २३०० ॥
वर्णेषु व्यज्यमानस्य तस्य प्रत्यायनाङ्गता ।
अन्यत्रापि तु सद्भावात्तत्स्वरूपस्य नित्यता ॥ २३०१ ॥

kālaścaiko vibhurnityaḥ pravibhakto’pi gamyate |
varṇavatsarvabhāveṣu vyajyate kenacitkvacit || 2300 ||
varṇeṣu vyajyamānasya tasya pratyāyanāṅgatā |
anyatrāpi tu sadbhāvāttatsvarūpasya nityatā || 2301 ||

“Time is one, all-pervading and eternal,—and yet it is known to be ‘divided’ also, among all things;—just like letters; and it becomes manifested by certain things in certain cases;—when it is manifested in connection with letters, it becomes contributory to the act of expressing (or denoting); and as it exists elsewhere also, its form is regarded as eternal.”—[Ślokavārtika—eternality of words, 303-304].—(2300-2301)

Kamalaśīla

Says the Opponent—People who have postulated Time have regarded it as one, all-pervading and eternal; as has been declared in the following words:—‘Some people regard Time as a substance which is one, eternal and all-pervading,—and something quite apart from the operation of modifiable substances’;—under the circumstances, how can there be any ‘distinctions’ (or divisions) of Time?

The Mīmāṃsaka’s answer to this is as follows:—[see verses 2300-2301 above]

‘Divided also’;—the term ‘also’ goes with all that has gone before—it is one also, eternal also, all-pervading also; though it has been misplaced in the Text.

Question:—In what way is it ‘divided’?

Answer:—‘Among all things, like Letters’.—What is meant is as follows:—Though the Letter, Ga for instance, is one only and eternal, yet when it comes to be manifested by a particular Articulation at a particular place then it is known as divided through the divisions of place, etc,; similarly Time also; though it pervades over all things, yet when it comes to be manifested by a certain action in regard to a certain object, it becomes known as ‘divided’ or ‘distinct’; and when it is manifested in connection with Letters, it becomes contributory to the act of expressing.

Question:—If Time is so ‘divided’, how is it regarded as eternal and all-pervading?

Answer:—‘As it exists, etc. etc.’—‘Elsewhere’—i.e. in Creepers, Leaves of trees and so forth;—because it exists in these also, its eternality and allpervasiveness become recognised and established.—‘Eternality’ alone is mentioned in the Text, by way of illustration.—(2300-2301)