para-matam apratiṣiddham anumatam
para-matam apratiṣiddham anumatam |
(Tantra-yukti: 28; cited in Vātsyānana’s Nyāya-bhāṣya on the Nyāya-sūtras of Gautama)
“Another’s view that is not negated is approved.”
Hermeneutics
vādo jalpo vitaṇḍeti trividhā viduṣāṁ kathā
vādo jalpo vitaṇḍeti trividhā viduṣāṁ kathā |
tattva-nirṇayam uddiśya kevalaṁ guru-śiṣyayoḥ ||
kathānyeṣām api satāṁ vādo vā samiteḥ śubhā |
khyāty-ādy-arthaṁ spardhayā vā satāṁ jalpa itīryate ||
vitaṇḍā tu satām anyais tattvam eṣu nigūhitam |
(Madhvācārya’s Kathā-lakṣaṇam: 2–3)
“The kathā (discussion) of the wise is of three types: vāda, jalpa, and vitaṇḍā. The kathā between a guru and disciple, or, in an assembly of other sādhus as well, that is learned [alt., auspicious] and purely for the purpose of ascertaining tattva is [called] vāda. The kathā of sādhus, on the contrary, for the purpose of [attaining] renown and so forth is called jalpa. The kathā of sādhus, on the contrary, with others [i.e., those whose objective is not ascertaining tattva] wherein tattva is concealed is [called] vitaṇḍā.”
adhikārī ca sambandho viṣayaś ca prayojanam
adhikārī ca sambandho viṣayaś ca prayojanam |
avaśyam eva vaktavyaṁ śāstrādau tu catuṣṭayam ||
(Unknown Source; cited in the Amṛta-ṭīkā to Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇam: Maṅgalācaraṇa, 1)
“The eligible person (adhikārī), the relationship (sambandha), the topic (viṣaya), and the purpose (prayojana)—these four must be stated at the beginning of a śāstra.”
bhāvini bhūta-vad upacāraḥ
bhāvini bhūta-vad upacāraḥ |
(Kātantra-vyākaraṇa: 26; cited in the Amṛta-ṭīkā on Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇam: 859, Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.21.25)
“The figure of speech in the case of the immediate future being [spoken of] as if in the immediate past [i.e., there is a figure of speech in which something that is just about to a happen is spoken of as having already happened].”
uktānukta-duruktānāṁ cintā yatra pravartate
uktānukta-duruktānāṁ cintā yatra pravartate |
vākyaṁ tad vārttikaṁ prāhuḥ vārttika-jñā manīṣiṇaḥ ||
(Parāśara Purāṇa)
“Wise knowers of a vārttika say a vārttika (gloss) is a statement in which stated, unstated, and poorly stated thoughts [in a text] are brought forth.”
alpākṣaram asandigdhaṁ sāra-vat viśvato-mukham
alpākṣaram asandigdhaṁ sāra-vat viśvato-mukham |
astobham anavadyaṁ ca sūtraṁ sūtra-vido viduḥ ||
(Vāyu Purāṇa; Skanda Purāṇa; Viṣṇu-dharmottara)
“Knowers of sūtras know a sūtra (aphorism) to be concise [i.e., of a minimum of letters], unambiguous, substantial [i.e., expressive of the essence of its subject-matter], comprehensive, without any pause [i.e., stoppages or insertions], and irreproachable [i.e., faultless].”
sargabandho mahākāvyam ucyate tasya lakṣaṇam
sargabandho mahākāvyam ucyate tasya lakṣaṇam |
āśīr namaskriyā vastu-nirdeśo vāpi tan-mukham ||
(Kāvyādarśa: 1.14)
“That [composition] which is constructed in sections is called a mahākāvya [‘epic poem’]. Its characteristic is that its opening is a blessing (āśīḥ), an offering of obeisance (namaskriyā), or [may also include] a specification of [its] subject-matter.”
sūtrārtho varṇyate yatra vākyaiḥ sutrānusāribhiḥ
sūtrārtho varṇyate yatra vākyaiḥ sutrānusāribhiḥ |
svapadāni ca varṇyante bhāṣyaṁ bhāṣya-vido viduḥ ||
(Abhiyuktokti)
“Knowers of a bhāṣya know a bhāṣya [i.e., a commentary] to be that in which the meaning of sūtras is explained with sentences that follow the sūtras and in which the sūtras’ own words are explained.”
padacchedaḥ padārthoktir vigraho vākyayojanā
padacchedaḥ padārthoktir vigraho vākyayojanā |
ākṣepasya samādhānaṁ vyākhyānaṁ pañca-lakṣaṇam ||
(Parāśara Purāṇa: 18.17–18)
“(1) Word division (padaccheda) [i.e., separation and restroration of each word in the text to its fundamental form prior to the application of sandhi and other rules of composition], (2) stating the meaning of words (padārtha-ukti) [i.e., offering contextually appropriate synonyms, paraphrases, definitions, examples, and so forth, typically for the sake clarification], (3) analysis [of compounds] (vigraha) [i.e., explaining the meaning of compound words, typically by explaining the roles, relationships, and meanings of the individual words contained inside a compound word], (4) sentence construction (vākya-yojanā, alt., anvaya) [i.e., re-ordering the words in the text according to the rules of conventional syntax, and (5) resolution of concerns (ākṣepasya samādhānam) [i.e., anticipating doubts, questions, objections, and so forth that readers may have about the text and fostering explanations to resolve them] are the five characteristics of a commentary (vyākhyāna).”
yaḥ śabdena pratyāyyate sa ca arthaḥ
yaḥ śabdena pratyāyyate sa ca [arthaḥ] |
(Vṛtti on Śṛṅgāra-prakāśa: 1.13)
“That which is caused to be understood by a śabda (word) [is artha [‘meaning’].”