[Advaita-l] Definition of 'Sūtra, Bhāṣya, Vārtikam, Prakaraṇam...etc.'

[Sundaram Venkatraman]

Dear Subrahmanyanji,

Eternally grateful to you for the translations. I am now now able to appreciate the beauty of original Sanskrit. 

A question arises from the definition of Prakarana. If prakaranas deal with only some aspects of the subject of Advaita,  I am wondering how appropriate it is to call Panchadashi and Vivekachudsmani Prakarana Granthas. They seem to be dealing with the entire subject matter! Regards,

Venkat


Sent from my iPhone

> On 27-Oct-2016, at 11:18 PM, V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> 2016-10-27 8:01 GMT+05:30 Sundaram Venkatraman <svenkat52 at gmail.com>:
>> Sri Subrahmanyanji,
>> 
>> Can I humbly request for an English translation of these beautiful definitions Sir? I will be much obliged.
>> 
>> Many thanks and pranams,
>> 
>> Venkat
> 
> I shall just make an attempt, which can be improved by others. 
>> 
>> 
>> > *अल्पाक्षरमसन्दिन्धं सारवद् विश्वतो मुखम्  १३*
>> >
>> > *अस्तोभमनवद्यं च सूत्रं सूत्रविदो **विदुः*  [Sūtram]
> 
> A 'sutra' is characterized by:  Very few letters (that constitute a word/s), no ambiguity, essential, multi-faceted, with no pause, free of defect.  
>> >
>> >
>> 
>> > *सूत्रार्थो वर्ण्यते यत्र वाक्यैः सूत्रानुकारिभिः  १५*
>> >
>> > *स्वपदानि च वर्ण्यन्ते भाष्यं भाष्यविदो विदुः  [Bhāṣyam]*
> 
> Bhāṣyam: explains the meaning of the sutra, through sentences that closely follow the sutra. The Bhāṣya also explains its own words. That is, the commentator explains his own words too apart from explaining the sutra.   
>> >
>> >
>> > *पदच्छेदः पदार्थोक्तिर्विग्रहो वाक्ययोजना  १७*
>> >
>> > आक्षेपस्य समाधानं व्याख्यानं *पञ्चलक्षणम्  [*Vyākhyānam]
> 
> Vyākhyānam has five components: splitting of the conjoined words, giving the meaning of the words, parsing of compounded words, showing clearly the syntax, replying the objections. 
>> >
>> > 
>> > *उक्तानुक्तदुरुक्तानां चिन्ता यत्र प्रवर्तते  १९*
>> >
>> > तं ग्रन्थं वार्तिकं प्राहुः वार्तिकज्ञा *मनीषिणः  [*Vārtikam]
> 
> Vārtikam: A review of what is said ,unsaid and improperly said (in the bhashya) is called vārtikam. 
>> >
>> >
>> > *शास्त्रैकदेशसम्बद्धं शास्त्रकार्यान्तरे स्थितम्  २१*
>> >
>> > आहुः प्रकरणं नाम *शास्त्रभेदविचक्षणाः  *[Prakaraṇam]
> 
> Prakaranam is a treatise or digest that concerns itself with a certain segment or part of a discipline, is aimed at a particular purpose of the discipline. Thus, a prakarana grantha will not deal with everything the discipline is about.   
>> >
>> 
>> > regards
>> > subrahmanian.v
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