1516 Verse 2353

Original

कर्तर्यसत्यपि ह्येषा नैव सत्यार्थतां व्रजेत् ।
तद्धेतुगुणवैकल्याद्दोषाभावे मृषार्थवत् ॥ २३५३ ॥

kartaryasatyapi hyeṣā naiva satyārthatāṃ vrajet |
taddhetuguṇavaikalyāddoṣābhāve mṛṣārthavat || 2353 ||

Even though there is no author, the Veda cannot be regarded as saying what is true;—because it is devoid of those excellences in its source which would make it truthful;—just as in the absence of defects, the word is not regarded as false,—(2353)

Kamalaśīla

It has been argued (by the Mīmāṃsaka) that “that which is free from the contact of defects conducive to falsity must be the source of true cognition, etc. etc.”.—The Author, for the sake of argument, admits the Reason here adduced, and then proceeds to show that it is ‘inconclusive’—[see verse 2353 above]

‘Eṣā’ stands for the Veda,

A man under the influence of Love and Hatred, etc. is found to say things that are not true; in this way, through positive and negative concomitance, it is ascertained that there are certain defects which lie at the root of falsity; similarly a man full of mercy and other good qualities is found to be truthful; hence these good qualities are excellences that lie at the root of truthfulness.—Thus, in the absence (in the case of the Veda) of these causes of truthfulness, the effect, in the shape of Truthfulness, also should be non-existent.—So that even though the Veda, may not be the work of a Person, its truthfulness is not established; hence the Reason put forward by the Mīmāṃsaka is ‘Inconclusive—(2353)

Question:—“But how is it ascertained that the excellences are absent?”

Answer:—[see verse 2354 next]