2.1.18
Mīmāṃsā Sūtra / Adhyāya 2 / 2.1.18
गुणश् चानर्थकः स्यात्
guṇaś cānarthakaḥ syāt
The line
A quality, a compound: and, and of no point, it would be, let it be granted.
Where it sits
In Mīmāṃsā (मीमांसा) Sūtra (सूत्र), adhyāya (अध्याय) 2. Which acts are different acts. The word for an action means the act, and from that the differences among rites are drawn. The words of this line are the ones to keep. A shorter line after this one may leave them unsaid.
Split: guṇaḥ (गुणः) + ca-anarthakaḥ (च-अनर्थकः) + syāt (स्यात्)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| guṇaḥ (गुणः) | nominative singular, masculine | a quality |
| ca-anarthakaḥ (च-अनर्थकः) | nominative singular, masculine | a compound: and, and of no point. Read it from the end |
| syāt (स्यात्) | optative, third person singular | it would be, let it be granted |
The phrases
guṇaḥ (गुणः) is a quality. It stands as nominative singular, masculine. The line writes it guṇaś (गुणश्). ca-anarthakaḥ (च-अनर्थकः) is a compound: and, and of no point. Read it from the end. It stands as nominative singular, masculine.
syāt (स्यात्) is it would be, let it be granted. It stands as optative, third person singular.
Sanskrit in this line
ca-anarthakaḥ (च-अनर्थकः) is one compound. The hyphen is a teaching mark. Only the last member wears the case. The line writes it guṇaś (गुणश्).
Say it back
Cover the English. Gloss guṇaḥ (गुणः) and ca-anarthakaḥ (च-अनर्थकः).