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 3.14.141
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of verse 3.14.141:
विशेष एव सामान्यं विशेषाद् भिद्यते यतः ।
अभेदो हि विशेषाणामाश्रितो विनिवर्तकः ॥ १४१ ॥viśeṣa eva sāmānyaṃ viśeṣād bhidyate yataḥ |
abhedo hi viśeṣāṇāmāśrito vinivartakaḥ || 141 ||141. The general is as good as a particular because it differs from the particulars. When absence of differentiation is resorted to, it keeps out the particulars.
Commentary
[Nor would a particular be understood merely because the general implies the particular. The general would keep the particulars out as a particular would keep the other particulars out. The general, when especially meant to be conveyed becomes as good as a viśeṣa and keeps the particulars out. See M. Bhā. I. p. 422.1. 5.]