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.
Verse 1.16-17
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of verse 1.16-17:
इदमाद्यं पदस्थानं सिद्धिसोपानपर्वणाम् ।
इयं सा मोक्षमाणानामजिह्वा राजपद्धतिः ॥ १६ ॥
अत्रातीतविपर्यासः केवलामनुपश्यति ।
छन्दस्यश्छन्दसां योनिमात्मा छन्दोमयीं तनुम् ॥ १७ ॥idamādyaṃ padasthānaṃ siddhisopānaparvaṇām |
iyaṃ sā mokṣamāṇānāmajihvā rājapaddhatiḥ || 16 ||/
atrātītaviparyāsaḥ kevalāmanupaśyati |
chandasyaśchandasāṃ yonimātmā chandomayīṃ tanum || 17 ||16. This is the first step in the ladder leading to liberation, this is the straight royal road for all those who desire salvation.
17. Here the Self, being free from errrors and thus fit to study the Vedas, sees the very basis of the Vedas, their pure form.
Notes:
Chandasyaḥ. This word can be explained according to P. 4. 4. 98: ‘Tatra sādhuḥ’. It would then mean ‘fit in regard to the Chandas, i.e. fit to study it or protect it. Vṛ, however, explains it thus: Chandaśyaḥ iti. Chandasām samūhaḥ, samūhārthe aupasaṃkhyānikaḥ taddhitaḥ. He has probably in mind P. 4. 2. 42 according to which the suffix yan is added to words in tire sense of collection.