1.2.28
Mīmāṃsā Sūtra / Adhyāya 1 / 1.2.28
व्यर्थे स्तुतिरन्याय्येति चेत्
vyarthe stutir anyāyyeti cet
The line
If you say that, where the thing is empty of that use, praise is improper.
नेपालीमा
यदि त्यसो भन्छौ भने, चीज त्यो प्रयोगबाट रित्तो भएको ठाउँमा प्रशंसा उचित होइन।
Where it sits
Stuti from 1.2.27 is the word under attack. Vyartha recalls the charge that a praise with no basis is idle. The basket sentence is still the subject.
Split: vyarthe (व्यर्थे) + stutiḥ (स्तुतिः) + anyāyyā (अन्याय्या) + iti (इति) + cet (चेत्)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| vyarthe (व्यर्थे) | locative singular, masculine | in a matter empty of point, when the thing does not do what it is praised for |
| stutiḥ (स्तुतिः) | nominative singular, feminine | praise |
| anyāyyā (अन्याय्या) | nominative singular, feminine | improper, not in keeping with rule |
| iti (इति) | indeclinable | thus |
| cet (चेत्) | indeclinable | if |
The phrases
The objector returns to a point already made. The basket does not directly make food. A spoon does not either. If the thing praised does not do the work, praise is improper.
Cet brings this as a supposition to be answered. Praise would be out of order when it commends a nothing.
Sanskrit in this line
Anyāyyeti (अन्याय्येति) is anyāyyā (अन्याय्या) plus iti, ā (आ) plus i becoming e. Anyāyyā (अन्याय्या) agrees with stutiḥ (स्तुतिः). Vyartha is artha with vi, empty of the point claimed.
Say it back
State the protest: you cannot praise the basket for making food if it does not make food.