रामानुजीये विश्वासटिप्पन्यः

तृतीयोऽवतारः

शब्दः

voule

of gallingcan b

१. अनुमाननिरूपणानन्तरं शब्दो निरूप्यते । अनाप्तानुक्त- वाक्यजनिततदर्थ विज्ञानं शाब्दज्ञानम् । तत्करणं शब्दप्रमाणम् । ‘अनाप्तानुक्त’ इत्युक्तत्वात् वेदस्य पौरुषेयत्वमतनिरासः । कारण- दोषबाधकप्रत्ययाभाववत् वाक्यं वा ।

AVATARA III

SABDA

After the exposition of inference, śabda’ (verbal testimony) is explained. Verbal cognition is the know- ledge of the meaning, derived from the sentence, unuttered by non-trustworthy person. The sabda- _pramāna is the instrument of that (ie, verbal cogni- tion). ‘Unuttered by non-trustworthy person’ has been said to refute the doctrine of the personal origin of the Veda. Or that sentence is (sabda-pramāna) which is devoid of the errors of instrument2 (karana) and sublating cognition.

शब्दः

३९

२.सर्गादी भगवान् चतुर्मुखाय पूर्वपूर्वक्रमविशिष्टान् वेदान् स्मृत्वा स्मृत्वा उपदिशतीत्यवत्या वेदस्य नित्यत्वमपौरुषेयत्वं च सिद्धमिति करणदोषाभावो बाधकप्रत्ययाभावश्च ।

३. ननु वेदवाक्यानां मीमांसकैः कार्यपरतयैव प्रामाण्य- स्वीकारात् सिद्धब्रह्मपरवाक्यानां व्युत्पत्त्यसंभवाच्च कथं प्रमा- ण्यम् ? इति चेत्, न । सिद्धब्रह्मपरवाक्यानामपि उपासनान्वय- स्वीकारात् । ‘पिता ते सुखमास्ते’ इति लौकिक सिद्धपरवाक्य- स्यापि बोधकत्वदर्शनात् बालानां लोके मातापितृप्रभृतिभिः

In the beginning of (every) creation, Bhagavān, remembering the Vedas in the same order as they had been before, teaches them to Caturmukha 3; since it has been said so (in the scriptures), eternality and impersonal origin of the Veda are established; there- fore they are devoid of error of instrument and sublating cognition.
‘Now, how can there be authoritativeness for the vedic texts inasmuch as the Mīmāṁsakas maintain that they denote what ought to be accomplished, and since it is not possible to know the meaning of those texts which denote Brahman, which is already existent ?’ 4 If this be questioned, no. (For) even the texts, which denote Brahman, an existent entity, are admitted to have meditation for their purport.5 Ex- pressive power is also seen in sentences denotative of existent facts such as ‘Your father is doing well. In our ordinary experience it is seen that when children are taught gradually and repeatedly by their mother, father, etc., by pointing out with the finger at the

४०

अम्बातातमातुलचन्द्रादीन् अङ्गुल्या निर्दिश्य तदभिधायकशब्दान् प्रयुञ्जानैः क्रमेण भूयः शिक्षितानां तत्तदर्थ बुद्ध युत्पत्तिदर्शनात् वेदेऽपि परिनिष्पत्रेऽप्यर्थे शब्दस्य बोधकत्वं सम्भवतीति न अप्रा-

माण्यशङ्कावकाशः ।

४. तहि अभिचारादिप्रतिपादकवेदांशस्य कथं प्रामाण्यम् इति न शङ्कनीयम् । तस्य दृष्टफलदर्शनेन अदृष्टस्वर्गादिफलसाध- नादौ प्रवृत्तिप्रयोजकत्वात् ।

५. यूपादित्यवाक्यं तु आदित्यवद्यूपप्रकाशनपरम् । अतः कृत्स्नस्य वेदस्य प्रामाण्यम् ।

(children’s)mother, father, uncle moon, etc., and using words which denote them, ideas rise in their minds that such and such words denote such and such things;7 similarly in the case of the Veda also there is the possibility of words’ conveying the knowledge even in respect of existent entities. Hence there is no room for doubting the authoritativeness (of the Veda).

Nor should it be doubted that how that portion of the Veda which treats of abhicaras etc. can be authoritative; because its final end is, by demonstrating the visible results, to create volitional desire for con- ducting activities which bring about invisible fruits such as heaven etc.
The text ‘The sacrificial post is the sun’ denotes that the sacrificial post is as bright as the sun. Hence the authoritativeness of the Veda in toto.शब्दः

४१

६. स च वेदः कर्मब्रह्मप्रतिपादकपूर्वोत्तरभागाभ्यां द्विधा भिन्नः । आराधनकर्मप्रतिपादकं पूर्वकाण्डम् । आराध्यब्रह्मप्रति- पादकमुत्तरकाण्डम् । उभयोर्मीमांसयोरैकशास्त्रयम् ।

७. भागद्वयात्मको वेद ऋग्यजुःसामाथर्वणरूपेण चतुर्धाव- स्थितः । पुनरनन्तप्रकारश्च ।

८. ऋगादिबहुप्रकारवान् वेदो मन्त्रार्थवादविधिरूपेण त्रिविधः ।

९. अनुष्ठेयार्थ प्रकाशको मन्त्रः ।

१०. विध्यधीनप्रवृत्त्युत्तम्भकवाक्यविशेषोऽर्थवादः ।

The Veda is divisible into two parts, the earlier one treating of ‘work’ and the latter treating of ‘Brahman’. The earlier section is that which treats of ‘work’ that is worship. The latter section is that which treats of (Brahman) which is the object of worship. Hence both the Mīmāmsās (uttara and pūrva) constitute a single scriptural authority.9
The Veda, which embodies in itself the two

self the tw sections, abides in the fourfold form of rk, yajus, sāman and atharvan. 10 Again it abides in innumerable forms.

The Veda, consisting of the manifold forms 16 of rk etc., is of three kinds: mantra, arthavāda and

vidhi.

Frosbass

Mantra indicates the thing to be done or performed."
Arthavāda is that kind of passage which encourages activity due to vidhi. 12anga

४२

११. हितानुशासनवाक्यमिह विधिः । स च त्रिविधः अपूर्व परिसंख्यानियमभेदात् । ते पुनर्नित्यनैमित्तिकाभ्यादिभेदात् बहुविधाः ।

१२. ‘व्रीहीन् प्रोक्षति’ ( तै. ब्रा.) इति अपूर्वविधिः । १३. मनोमयत्वाद्युपासनविधिविशिष्टविधिः ।

१४. ‘इमामगृभ्णन्’ इति अश्वरशनाविधिः परिसंख्या-

विधिः ।

१५. गुर्वभिगमनादिविधिनियमविधिः ।

१६. सन्ध्योपासनादिनित्यविधिः ।

१७. जातेष्ट्यादिविधिनैमित्तिकविधिः ।

Here vidhi is that passage which enjoins

is that passage which what is beneficial (to oneself). It (vidhi) is of three kinds-apurva, parisankhya, and niyama. Again they are manifold, because of the difference as nitya, naimittika, Kāmya, etc.

Apūrvavidhi is (such as ) ’ He sprinkles the rice-grains with water’.13
Viśistavidhi is the injunction of meditation such as ‘manomaya’ etc. 14
Parisankhyāvidhi is (such as) the injunction relating to the horse-rope: (one takes up the horse-rope with the mantra ) ‘This rope (the ancients) took up. ‘15
Niyamavidhi is (such as) the injunction relat- ing to the approach ( of the student) to the preceptor. 16
Nityavidhi is (such as) the injunction relating to evening and morning meditations etc.
Naimittikavidhi is (such as) the injunction relating to, post-natal işti etc.17

शब्दः

१८. ज्योतिष्टोमादिविधिः काम्यविधिः ।

४३

१९. एवं विध्यर्थं वाद मन्त्रात्मकस्य वेदस्य छन्दः कल्पः शिक्षा निरुक्तं ज्योतिषं व्याकरणम् इत्येतान्यङ्गानि ।

२०. छन्दः अनुष्टुप् त्रिष्टुबादिप्रतिपादनरूपः । २१. श्रौतस्मार्त प्रयोगप्रतिपादनपरः कल्पः । २२. शिक्षा वर्ण निर्णयात्मिका ।

२३. निरुक्तम् अपूर्वार्थं प्रतिपादकम् ।

।

२४. ज्योतिषम् अध्ययनतदर्थानुष्ठानकालनिर्णयात्मकम् ।

Kāmyavidhi is (such as) the injunction relat- ing to jyotistoma etc. 18 ) *

( 19. Thus the Veda, which is of the nature of

vidhi, arthavāda and mantra, has for its limbs chandas, kalpa, siksā, nirukta, jyotisa and vyakarana.

Chandas (prosody) is the treatise on metre (of mantras) such as anustup, tristup, etc.
Kalpa (ritualistic science) is that which ex- pounds the śrauta and smärta rituals.
Siksā is of the nature of determining (the quantity, accent, etc., of) letters. smen TSW
Nirukta (philological exegetics) elucidates the rare meaning of words.

aranor

Jyotisa (astrology and astronomy) is that which fixes up the time for the study of the Veda as well as sacrificial performances prescribed in the

Loraldams-line at as

Veda.

४४

२५. व्याकरणं तु सुशब्दस्वरादिसमर्थ नपरम् । २६. एवं साङ्गस्य वेदस्य प्रामाण्यं सिद्धम् ।

२७. अथ श्रुत्यविरुद्धाचारव्यवहारप्रायश्चित्तादिप्रतिपा- दिका आप्तप्रणीता स्मृतिः प्रमाणम् ।

२८. हिरण्यगर्भादीनामाप्तत्वेऽपि तेषां गुणत्रयवश्यत्व- सम्भवात् तत्कर्तृकयोगकपिलादिस्मृतीनां मन्वादिस्मृत्यविरुद्धांश एव प्रमाणम् । तत्त्वविपर्यासात् विरुद्धांशोऽप्रमाणम् ।

२९. वेदोपबृंहणरूपेतिहासपुराणयोरपि प्रामाण्यं स्वतः- सिद्धम् ।

Vyakarana (grammar) determines the techni- que of word-formation, accent, etc.
Thus the authoritativeness of the Veda with its limbs is established.)
Then the smrti, which is composed by trust- worthy persons and which explains conduct, usages, expiation, 19 etc. that are not opposed to śruti, is also a valid means of knowledge.
Though Hiranyagarbha 20 and others are trust- worthy, still owing to the possibility of the presence of the three gunas in them,21 such portion of their productions, namely, Yoga, Kapila 22 and other smrtis, as does not contradict the smrtis of Manu23 and others, is alone authoritative. But the portion which contra- dicts them is not authoritative because of the reversal of truth.
The authoritativeness of itihāsa 24 and purāna’s which possess the character of being supplementary to the Veda, is self-established.26

शब्दः

४५

३०. तत्र भारतरामायणयोः क्वचित् क्वचिद्विरोध भानेऽपि तत्त्वांशे वेदान्तवाक्यवदविरोधो ज्ञेयः ।

३१. सर्गादिपञ्चकप्रतिपादकपुराणेष्वपि सात्त्विकराजस-तामसभेदभिन्नेषु तत्त्वांशे विरोधाभावात् विरुद्धांशोऽप्रमाणम्, अन्यत् सर्वं प्रमाणम् । पशुपताद्यागमा अपि तथैव ।

।

३२. आगमदिव्यतन्त्र तन्त्रान्तरसिद्धान्त भेदभिन्नस्य श्रीपा- ञ्चरात्रागमस्य क्वचिदपि वेदविरोधाभावात् कात्स्न्येंन प्रामा- ण्यम् । एवं वैखानसागमस्यापि ।

Of these, though Bhārata27 and Rāmāyana 28 appear contradictory in some places, they must be regarded as uncontradictory in their portions dealing with truth like Vedanta passages.
Even in puranas divided into three groups as sāttvika, rājasa and tāmasa 29 – which treat of the five topics of sarga30 etc., since there is no contradiction with regard to portions dealing with truth, the contra- dictory portion is unauthoritative and everything else is authoritative. It is just so in the case of Pasupatā- gama etc. 31
Śrī Pañcarātrāgama divided into groups of siddhāntas such as āgama, divya, 32 tantra and tanträntara-is authoritative in toto, since it does not contradict the Veda anywhere.33 Even so in the case of Vaikhānasāgama. 34

૪૬

।

३३. धर्मशास्त्राणामपि तथैव । शाण्डिल्यपराशर भारद्वाज- वसिष्ठहारीतादयो धर्मशास्त्रप्रणेतारः ।

३४. शिल्पायुर्वेदगान्धर्व भरतादिकमप्युपयुक्तांशे तथैव । ३५. शिल्पो नाम कर्षणादिगोपुरप्राकारनिर्माणादिप्रति-

पादकः ।

३६. आयुर्वेदो वैद्यकम् ।

३७. गान्धर्वो नाम गानादिनिरूपकः ।

३८. भरतागमो नृत्यादिनिरूपकः ।

३९. पुनश्चतुः षष्टिकलारूपेषु शास्त्रेषु तत्त्वोपायपुरुषार्थोप- युक्तानि प्रमाणानि ।

The Dharmaśāstras’s are also likewise. San- dilya, Parāśara, Bhāradvāja, Vasistha, Harita and others are the promulgators of the Dharmaśāstras.
Silpa, Ayurveda, Gandharva, Bharata and other sciences are likewise (authoritative) in their use- ful portions.
Silpa is that science which explains the ( method) of ploughing, construction of city-gate, enclosure (or rampart), etc.
āyurveda is the science of medicine.
Gandharva is that which teaches the (techni- que) of music etc.
Bharatāgama is that which propounds the art of dancing etc.
Again among sciences which are of the nature of sixty-four arts36 whatever is useful (in con- nection with) truth, means and highest welfare of man, is authoritative.

शब्दः

४७

४०. बकुला भरणादिसूरिसूक्तयः कार्त्स्न्येन प्रमाणतराः । ४१. श्रीमद्रामानुजाचार्य प्रभृतिभिः प्रणीताः श्रीभाष्यादि- प्रबन्धाः प्रमाणतमाः ।

४२. पुरुषस्वातन्त्र्याधीनरचनाविशेषविशिष्टं पौरुषेयम् । एतेन काव्यनाटकालङ्कारादीनामपि लक्षणमुक्तं स्यात् ।

४३. एवम् आकाङ्क्षायोग्यतासन्निधिमल्लौकिक वाक्या- न्यपि प्रमाणानि । यथा - ‘नद्यास्तीरे पञ्चफलानि सन्ति’ इत्यादीनि ।

४४. एवं वैदिकलौकिकसाधारणं वाक्यं द्विविधं - मुख्य- वृत्तिगौणवृत्तिभेदात् ।

inolisionob

The holy sayings of saints like Bakula-

The holy sayings of saint bharana37 and others are wholly more authoritative.

4.1. The treatises like Sribhāṣya38 etc. composed by Śrī Rāmānuja and others are most authoritative.

Pauruşeya (i.e., what originates from a person) is that particular composition which depends on the freedom of the person. 39 By this, the definition of kāvya (poetry), nātaka (drama), alankāra (rhetoric), etc. has been stated. ) 27
Thus the secular statements characterized by expectancy, compatibility and proximity are also authoritative:40 as, ‘There are five fruits on the river- bank’ etc.
In this manner what is common to vedic and secular statements is twofold, because of the difference as primary denotation and secondary denotation.

४८

४५. ।

मुख्यवृत्तिरभिधावृत्तिः । यथा - सिंहशब्दस्य मृगेन्द्रे । ४६. सा अभिधावृत्तिः योगरूढघादिभेदेन बहुविधा ।

४७. मुख्यार्थबाधे सति तदासन्नेऽर्थे वृत्तिरोपचारिकी । सा द्विविधा - लक्षणागौणीभेदात् । प्रथमा यथा - ‘गङ्गायां घोष’ इत्यत्र घोषाधिकरणस्य बाधात् तीरे लक्षणा । द्वितीया यथा- ‘सिंहो देवदत्त’ इत्यत्र देवदत्ते शौर्यादिगुणयोगः ।

४८. एवं वैदिकलौकिकरूपं सर्वं वाक्यजातं सविशेषविष

यकं भेदविषयकं च ।

४९. शरीरवाचकशब्दानां यथा शरीरिणि पर्यवसानम्,

Primary denotation is abhidhāvrtti. 41

hayrtti 41 For instance, the term ’lion’ denotes ‘king of the beasts’.

Primary denotation (of the words) is mani- fold, because of difference as yoga, 42 rūdhi, 43 etc. 44
When the meaning indicated by the primary denotation is stultified, the meaning nearest to it is denoted and that denotation is the secondary one. It is of two kinds, because of the difference as lakṣaṇā and gauņi. The first one is thus: in the statement ‘A hamlet on Ganga’, since the location of the hamlet (on the Ganga) is annulled, the bank (of the Ganga) is indirectly implied. The second one is thus: in the statement ‘Devadatta is a lion’, Devadatta is ascribed with the attributes of strength etc. (like the lion).
Thus the whole aggregate of sentences, vedic as well as secular, has objects affected with difference and duality. 45 43 Ad

)

The ācāryas propound that just as all words denoting ‘body’ have their final meaning in ’the

शब्दः

एवं भगवच्छरीरभूतब्रह्मरुद्राग्नीन्द्रादिचिद्वाचकशब्दानां तथा तच्छरीरभूतप्रकृतिकालाकाशप्राणाद्य चिद्वाचशब्दानां च शरीरिणि परमात्मनि श्रीनारायणे पर्यवसानमुपपादयन्त्याचार्यः ।

५०. वेदान्तज्ञानात् व्युत्पत्तिः पूर्यत इत्युक्तम् ।

५१.

नारायणस्य सर्वशब्दवाच्यत्वं सर्वशरीरकत्वमित्या-

दिकं तु उपरि ईश्वरनिरूपणे प्रतिपादयिष्यामः ।

५२. इति शब्दो निरूपितः ।

इति श्रीवाषूलकुलतिलकश्रीमन्महाचार्यस्य प्रथमदासेन श्रीनिवासदासेन विरचितायां यतीन्द्रमतदीपिकायां शब्दनिरूपणां नाम तृतीयोऽवतारः ॥

owner of the body’, so all cit-denoting words such as Brahmā, Rudra, Agni, Indra, etc. who constitute the body of Bhagavan, and also the acit-denoting words such as prakṛti, kāla, ākāśa, prāṇa, etc. which constitute (His) body, have their final meaning in ’the owner of the body’, Śrīnārāyana, the Supreme Self. 46

It has been already said that from the know- ledge of Vedānta, the import of words become perfect. 47
We shall expound on the avatāra on Iśvara’ that Nārāyaṇa is denoted by all terms, that everything is His body etc.
Thus the verbal testimony is explained.

Here ends the third ‘avatara’ on Sabda of Yatindramatadipika composed by Sriniväsädäsa, the foremost disciple of Śrīman Mahācārya, an ornament in the line of Sri Vādhūlas