3.1.14
Mīmāṃsā Sūtra / Adhyāya 3 / 3.1.14
सर्वेषां वा लक्षणत्वादविशिष्टं हि लक्षणम्
sarveṣāṃ vā lakṣaṇatvād aviśiṣṭaṃ hi lakṣaṇam
The line
Of of all or, because of a compound: a mark, and the state of being that, not set apart. A mark.
Where it sits
In Mīmāṃsā (मीमांसा) Sūtra (सूत्र), adhyāya (अध्याय) 3. Śeṣa (शेष), the subsidiary. How you tell what serves a rite and what the rite serves. The words of this line are the ones to keep. A shorter line after this one may leave them unsaid.
Split: sarveṣāṃ (सर्वेषां) + vā (वा) + lakṣaṇa-tvāt (लक्षण-त्वात्) + aviśiṣṭaṃ (अविशिष्टं) + hi (हि) + lakṣaṇam (लक्षणम्)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| sarveṣāṃ (सर्वेषां) | genitive plural | of all |
| vā (वा) | indeclinable | or |
| lakṣaṇa-tvāt (लक्षण-त्वात्) | ablative singular | a compound: a mark, and the state of being that. Read it from the end |
| aviśiṣṭaṃ (अविशिष्टं) | nominative or accusative singular, neuter | not set apart |
| hi (हि) | indeclinable | for, indeed |
| lakṣaṇam (लक्षणम्) | nominative or accusative singular, neuter | a mark |
The phrases
sarveṣāṃ (सर्वेषां) is of all. It stands as genitive plural. vā (वा) is or. It stands as indeclinable. lakṣaṇa-tvāt (लक्षण-त्वात्) is a compound: a mark, and the state of being that. Read it from the end. It stands as ablative singular. The line writes it lakṣaṇatvād (लक्षणत्वाद्).
aviśiṣṭaṃ (अविशिष्टं) is not set apart. It stands as nominative or accusative singular, neuter. hi (हि) is for, indeed. It stands as indeclinable. lakṣaṇam (लक्षणम्) is a mark. It stands as nominative or accusative singular, neuter.
Sanskrit in this line
lakṣaṇa-tvāt (लक्षण-त्वात्) is one compound. The hyphen is a teaching mark. Only the last member wears the case. The line writes it lakṣaṇatvād (लक्षणत्वाद्).
Say it back
Cover the English. Gloss sarveṣāṃ (सर्वेषां) and lakṣaṇa-tvāt (लक्षण-त्वात्).