Vakyapadiya of Bhartrihari

by K. A. Subramania Iyer | 1965 | 391,768 words

The English translation of the Vakyapadiya by Bhartrihari including commentary extracts and notes. The Vakyapadiya is an ancient Sanskrit text dealing with the philosophy of language. Bhartrhari authored this book in three parts and propounds his theory of Sphotavada (sphota-vada) which understands language as consisting of bursts of sounds conveyi...

This book contains Sanskrit text which you should never take for granted as transcription mistakes are always possible. Always confer with the final source and/or manuscript.

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of verse 3.2.8:

विकल्परूपं भजते तत्त्वमेवाविकल्पितम् ।
न चात्र कालभेदोऽस्ति कालभेदश्च गृह्यते ॥ ८ ॥

vikalparūpaṃ bhajate tattvamevāvikalpitam |
na cātra kālabhedo'sti kālabhedaśca gṛhyate || 8 ||

8. The undifferentiated Reality appears to be differentiated. There is really no distinction of time within it and yet such a distinction is cognised.

Commentary

The author now states that it is Brahman which appears as differentiated.

[Read verse 8 above]

[Thus, it is Brahman which manifests itself now as this and now as something else. Therefore, all words ultimately denote that. The Reality which is devoid of all differentiation appears to have it on account of nescience. Through the powers called Dik (Space) and Kāla (Time), this one Reality presents itself as having spatial and temporal sequence.]

The author now explains how the non-existent appears to have existence.

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