Inquiring into Indian Theories of Verbal Cognition.

• Author: Cardona, George
• Position: Critical essay

We are fortunate to have N. S. Ramanuja Tatacharya's second volume in a projected series of four volumes, the first of which (Sabdabodhamimamsa, An Inquiry into Indian Theories of Verbal Cognition: Vakyavakyarthavicaratmakah prathamo bhagah, part I: The Sentence and its Significance) appeared in 2005 and dealt with the sentence and sentential meaning. Volumes III and IV will concern, respectively, nominal stems; and verbs and verbal suffixes. The first volume included both a Sanskrit introduction and a close English rendition. The present volume also includes an introduction (bhunika), but only in Sanskrit (1-35). In addition to the detailed table of contents (37-69) in Sanskrit, this work includes a short table of contents in English (i).

As Ramanuja Tatacharya notes at the beginning of his introduction (p. 1), the first volume was extensive, but the present volume is even more so. The main part of the work covers 871 pages, preceded by the above-mentioned introduction and table of contents. There are also four appendices (anubandhah): a bibliography (udahrtagranthanam suci, 875-87), followed by indexes of slokas (subarthavicare udahrtanam slokanam akaradikramena suci 889-96), examples (sabdabodhavarnanartham udahrtanam vakyanam suci, 897-932), and notions (vivrtanam padanam suci. 933-40). The Sanskrit headings for the indexes are more informative than the English terms used in the summary table of contents.

Ramanuja Tatacharya begins his introduction with a summary discussion (1-2) of the different types of speech units recognized in various works and the meanings associated with these. He goes on to summarize the meanings connected with nominal endings, and explains his procedure as follows (2). A full description is presented of verbal cognitions said to arise from the use of nominal endings based on discussions in works of grammarians, Naiyayikas, and Mimamsakas with respect to such cognitions. The basis for presenting all the differences of opinion set forth in these works is the set of Paninian sutras that deal with nominal endings and their meanings. Accordingly, the focus is on meanings connected with the rules that assign category class names to direct participants in actions (karaka), which play different roles in bringing actions to accomplishment, thus assigning karakas to six categories--apadana, sampradana, karana, adhikarana, karman, kartr in the Paninian order (Astadhyayi 1.4.24-55, headed by 1.4.23: karake). To describe the various verbal cognitions considered, the order of sutras in the karaka section of Bhattoji Diksita's (last half of the sixteenth to early seventeenth century) Siddhantakaumudi is adopted. The sutras dealt with are explained and the verbal cognitions associated with illustrative sentences are described. Accordingly, topics are considered in the present work as follows. A section that deals with the defining property of a karaka (karakalaksanam, 1-35) is followed by sections in which are discussed the meanings of the seven vibhaktis, triplets of nominal endings, in the order: first (prathamarthavicarah, 36-66; sambodhanaprathamarthavicarah, 67-83)--including the use of such endings in vocatives, second (dvitiyarthavicarah, 85-301), third (trtiyar-thavicarah, 303-449), fourth (caturthyarthavicarah, 451-564), fifth (pancamyarthavkarah, 565-704), sixth (sasthyarthavicarah, 705-73), and seventh (sasthyarthavicarah, 775-871).

In his introduction, Ramanuja Tatacharya ably summarizes the materials, although, understandably, he does not enter into any details concerning particular usages, such as forms with second-triplet endings in construction with particular verbs (e.g., adhi-si 'lie, sleep on ...') and postpositions: these are covered extensively in the texts excerpted for the chapter on the meanings associated with the endings.

As can be seen from the summary given above, the bulk of this volume is devoted to discussions of meanings connected with individual triplets of endings. These discussions occur in the extensive texts reproduced here--with some introductory statements and rather incomplete references to editions of other works cited in the selections--from works of Naiyayikas, grammarians, and Mimamsakas. I use "reproduced" advisedly. For the most part, texts are quoted literally from published sources; however, as will be clear from the short sections I have selected for discussion below, very frequently there are divergences, mostly minor. Knowing from other works by the same author that he is a deeply learned master of the materials dealt with, I consider these to be adaptations. At the same time, this means that scholars who use this valuable collection should also consult the original works to determine the exact texts represented.

The works excerpted date preponderantly, though not exclusively, from the sixteenth century and later. The principal Naiyayika works used are the Karakacakra of Bhavananda (last quarter of the 16th c.), Jagadisa's (ca. 1600) Sabdasaktiprakasika, the Vyutpattivada of Gadhadhara (17th c.), Gokulanatha's (end of 17th c., early 18th c.) Padavakyaratnakara, the Vibhaktyarthanirnaya of Gokukanatha's nephew Giridhara. In grammar, pride of place is granted to Kaundabhatta's (17th c.) Vaiyakaranabhusana and its abridgment (Vaiya-karanabhusanasara) and the longer and abridged versions of two works by Nagesabhatta (late 17th--18th c), the Vaiyakaranasiddhantamaajasa and Vaiyakaranasiddhantalaghu-manjusa. (1) As I pointed out above, Bhattoji's arrangement serves as a basis for organization; the same author's Praudhamanorama is drawn upon. Two Mimamsa works of the mid-seventeenth century are depended upon heavily: Khandadeva's Bhattarahasya and Ga-gabhatta's Bhattacintamani. The emphasis on such relatively late works is understandable in that Ramanuja Tatacharya wished to deal with the meanings of nominal endings in the order first, second, and so forth, and these treatises deal with the semantics of endings in this order. In addition, the authors of the selections included in this work cite from earlier authors, so that a careful reader can get a historical sense of arguments and counterarguments. One could nevertheless argue with...