Deciding Factors of Meaning in Sadbabodh - HP

Deciding Factors of Meaning in

Sadbabodha an appraisal

Dr. JSRA Prasad

Department of Sanskrit Studies, UoH

12/23/2009National Workshop on Sanskrit and Computers:

Getting Equipped with New Challenges, UoH

--, All the three worlds would have been in complete dark, had sabda not been there as the illuminating light.

--, There is no conception in the world which is not followed by the word. All knowledge appears as if threaded by words.



Source of classification of words started from

Rgveda, 1.164.45

Nagesa has attributed this classification with ---

Yaska, the first etymologist, says -

(noun)

(verb)

(preposition)

(particle)



,

, , , , (.. 2)

1. ( - universal)

2. ( - quality)

3. ( - action)

4. (a name, known on convention)

Dandi attests him so



---

1. (conventional) , ,

2. (derivative)

3. (derivative-conventional)

4. (derivative/conventional)

Viswanatha clarifies thus

However, Kumarila says



pravrttinimitta is the concept by which you acquire the nucleus meaning of a word. Patanjali has classified

this in to four categories. Prvrttinimitta comes handy when dealing with meanings of polysemous words.

-

( ); =

= the reason for application of a word to an object

since pravrttis are different, accordingly pravrtti

nimittas are also different



Bhartrhari on meaning:

(.. 2.330)

.. 2.31

Acquiring meaning of words can be of two kinds by self experience and through a trust worthy person



is a linguistic understanding

knowledge of words, knowledge of meaning of

words, denotative function etc., contribute to the

above

Semantically, a meaningful sentence also should

satisfy these factors , and

The word itself is an example of category

What is Semantics?

-- 12/23/2009National Workshop on Sanskrit and Computers:


. 3.3.29

Naiyayikas differ since, words such as devadatta

etc., do not have such yogyata. Hence, it is sanketa that performs the function of sakti

is a part of

= potency

= relation between a word and its meaning



There are eight kinds of acquiring sakti (denotative function) jnana mentioned in sastras. Jagadisha had proposed and Vishwanatha had popularized the

theory. This set of eight consists also two pramanas,

viz. analogy and verbal testimony.

In spite of these sakti acquiring tools, there is always the possibility of ambiguities in sentences.



Natural languages are abundant of ambiguities

Metaphor, purport, polysemous words etc.,

contribute to ambiguity in acquring meaning.

Metaphor is widely accepted and numerous

polysemous words can be seen in Sanskrit

Consider the polysemous word Hari that has more than fourteen meanings

AK 3.3.174



Tools?

- How to resolve ambiguity?

Bhartrharis answer

VP 2.314

Word and its meaning should be interpreted based on

the linguistic context but not merely on the word forms.

Tools such as syntactic connection, context of situation,

meaning, propriety, location and time are required to be

applied in such crisis.



Deciding Factors of Meaning

(14)-

.. 2.315



1. (association)

2. (dissociation)

3. (companionship)

4. (opposition)

5. (purpose)

6. (context)

7. (indication)

8. (proximity of another word)

9. (capacity)



10. (propriety)

11. (place)

12. (time) -

13. (gender) /

14. (accent)



Few examples:

1. ' S.N. 2.9

A lion is powerful. When a jackal desiring

resemblance in strength with a lion which is

adequate to break the temple of an elephant, will not

equal with the lion, though lion and jackal reside in

the same forest, both have paws and both eat the

flesh of a killed elephant.

Deciding factors:

, , 12/23/2009National Workshop on Sanskrit and Computers:


2.

R.V. 3.43

King Raghu plans for a horse sacrifice for the

welfare of the people. , thinking that He may equal him in power after the sacrifice, steals away

the sacrificial horse. But King Raghu identifies him

based on some signs hundred eyes, without winking and accompanied by brown/tawny horses

Deciding factors:

, , ,



3. V.P.V. 19.26.4

When daemon folded the entire globe like amat and thrown it in to the sea, god Vishnu incarnated

in the form of Hari (pig) and lifted the globe out of

ocean and killed the daemon to sustain the order of

creation. King Surya Prabha who ruled the city

vakrolakam, was also happily rules his city such a way

that Varaha protected the globe with ease.

Deciding factors:

, , , , 12/23/2009National Workshop on Sanskrit and Computers:


Grammar is the central point of any language.

Knowledge of the sentences spoken by a speaker or

the sentences penned by an author should lead the

hearer/reader to a proper sabdabodha.Saktigrahopayas and the fourteen contextual factorsfunction as connecting tools between word and its

contextualized meaning.

Summary



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Deciding Factors of Meaning in Sadbabodh - HP