1726 Verse 2731

Original

वर्णोत्था चार्थधीरेषा तज्ज्ञानानन्तरोद्भवात् ।
येदृशी सा तदुत्था हि धूमादेरेव वह्निधीः ॥ २७३१ ॥

varṇotthā cārthadhīreṣā tajjñānānantarodbhavāt |
yedṛśī sā tadutthā hi dhūmādereva vahnidhīḥ || 2731 ||

The cognition of the meaning must be regarded as arising from the letters; because it appears after the cognition of these; what is like it arises from that,—like the cognition of fire arising from smoke.—(2731)

Kamalaśīla

The formulation of the argument is as follows:—When one Cognition appears after another cognition, it must be regarded as arising from this latter, indirectly,—e.g. the cognition of the ‘subject’, Fire, proceeding from the cognition of the ‘Indicative’, Smoke;—the cognition of the Meaning appears after the cognition of the Letters; hence this is a Reason based upon the nature of things.

What is meant to be proved here is the fact of its being regarded as the effect of that other cognition; this is what constitutes the difference between the Probans and the Probandum.—(2731)

The following Text shows that the Reason adduced in the preceding text is not ‘inadmissible’;—[see verse 2732 next]