उपसर्गाः वाचकाः
उत द्योतकाः
प्र,
परा, अप, सम्,
अनु, अव, निस्, निर्, दुस्, दुर्, वि, आङ्, नि,
अधि, अपि, अति,
सु, उत्, अभि,
प्रति, परि, उप – These 22 prepositions are known as निपात.
They are also designated as उपसर्ग when they are in
composition with verbs. They are also designated गति when
in composition with a verb. Thus, these 22 are designated as निपात,
उपसर्ग and गति. निपात is a broad
category whereas उपसर्ग and गति are
internal category under निपात.
Example – if प्र the निपात
is in composition with a verb करोति like प्रकरोति,
then it is called उपसर्ग as well as गति.
Examples of other prepositions are - पराभवति, अपनुदति, सन्तिष्ठते,
अनुगच्छति, अवगच्छति, निश्चिनोति, निर्वक्ति,
दुश्चेष्टते, दुर्वारयति, विकुरुते, आगच्छति,
निवारयति, अधीते, अपिदधाति, अतिवदति,
सुयोजयति, उद्गच्छति, अभिभाषते, प्रतियच्छति,
परिहसति, उपहसति.
Here, when a verb is in composition with a preposition,
sometimes its meaning is changed, some other cases the meaning is supported, in
other cases opposite meaning is conveyed. For example if we take गच्छति
(goes), in composition with आ+गच्छति its
meaning is “comes”. Here the preposition आ changes the
meaning of गच्छति entirely opposite. If we take पचति meaning “cooks” in composition with प्र+पचति conveys the meaning “cooks excellently”. Here, the debate
is whether the difference in meaning when in composition with उपसर्ग
is directly conveyed by उपसर्ग or उपसर्ग just
reveals the meaning hidden in the verb.
There are differences of opinion among Shastrakaras in
this regard. Some says that the difference in meaning of the verb is an outcome
of composition of उपसर्ग with verb. Some holds that the
meaning is not the outcome of उपसर्ग but the उपसर्ग just reveals the meaning hidden in root itself.
In other words whether the उपसर्ग is
द्योतक of the meaning hidden in the root or directly
conveys the meaning being वाचक. This amounts to say that उपसर्ग has no independent meaning as they are only indicators (द्योतक) of the meaning already hidden in the root. According to
others उपसर्ग has independent meaning and उपसर्ग
directly conveys the meaning (वाचक). Let us present
various views on this aspect.
Naiyayikas (Indian Logicians) hold that उपसर्ग
is only indicator of the meaning already hidden in the verb. Though they accept that other Nipataas such as च, तु,
वै
etc., are capable of conveying the meaning independently but not उपसर्ग,
which has no independent meaning. Their argument is that if उपसर्ग
has independent meaning then if it is pronounced independently without in
composition with verb, then also they should convey the independent meaning. We
do not get or comprehend such meaning from उपसर्ग if
pronounced alone. Thus, it shows that उपसर्ग has no
independent meaning and they indicate the meaning already hidden in the verbs.
Here,
Sringaraprakasha holds special view in this aspect. First, it enumerates 25 उपसर्ग including व, पि,
स, श्रद्, अन्तर् taking into consideration various
Acahryas opinion. Here it is categorized under six categories via १. वाचकाः, २. द्योतकाः, ३.
विशेषकाः, ४. सहाभिधायकाः, ५.
कार्यार्थकाः, and ६. निरर्थका:. When other Shastrakaras
hold only two categories via वाचक and द्योतक, Sringaraprakasha holds five categories.
It quotes examples from
Grammar texts like Mahabhashya, Kashika etc., to support the categorization. Examples
are प्रर्षभम्, समक्षम् etc., Here प्रर्षभम् means प्रगताः
ऋषभाः यस्मात् वनात् meaning
the forest wherefrom bulls have gone. Here, प्रर्षभम्,
there are two internal words प्र+ऋषभम्, which is together
an adjective to वनम् (forest). In this compound word प्रर्षभम्, प्र is not just an indicator of
the meaning hidden in ऋषभम्. Hence, one has to accept that
प्र has independent meaning. In the same way, in समक्षम्, there are two internal words सम्+अक्षम्.
They convey the meaning “in front of eye”. Here, सम् means
सङ्गतम् (in front of). Thus this सम्
has independent meaning. Hence, Sringaraprakasha holds that few उपसर्गs have independent
meaning, hence they are वाचकाः.
द्योतकाः is the second category. प्रतिष्ठते
is the example. Here प्रतिष्ठते has a preposition प्र. This प्र indicates the meaning hidden
in तिष्ठति and conveys the meaning “starts” or “leaves”.
Here, प्र does not have independent meaning; it only
indicates the meaning already in तिष्ठति.
Third category is विशेषक. Here, the preposition conveys the special meaning
hidden in the root. Example, प्रवर्धते, सुभवति etc. Here प्र and सु conveys the excessiveness of the verb वर्धते and भवति.
Fourth category is सहाभिधायक. Upasarga of this category convey the meaning together
with the verb. Here neither the verb is independent nor the Upasarga. Both together
convey the meaning. Example – निद्रायति and अधीते.
Both the verbs in composition with the prepositions नि and
अधि convey the intended meaning.
Fifth category is कार्यार्थ. Here, the preposition purposively indicates meaning
of the various actions of the verb in relation to the original meaning of that
verb, Example - विजयते and पराजयते.
Here वि+जयते and परा+जयते indicate the purpose of action intended.
Final
and sixth category is निरर्थक. Here, the preposition just
an addition to the verb. It indicates the mere meaning of the verb. Even
without preposition also, the verb could convey the same meaning. Example - प्रयच्छति, अपहरति etc. Here प्र and अप have no separate meaning they
are just in composition with the verb without any purpose except their
existence.
Thus,
Alankarikas hold that prepositions are of six categories including Vachaka and
Dyotaka. These six categories can be summarized as below:
१. क्रियायाः शक्तिमात्राभिधायिनो वाचकाः।
२. क्रियार्थगत-कुत्सा-प्रशंसाद्यभिव्यञ्जका द्योतकाः।
३. वाचकत्वे द्योतकत्वे वा क्रियायाः मङ्गलवीप्साद्यधिकार्थाभिधायिनो
विशेषकाः।
४. क्रियायाः अनुप्रयोगाद्यपेक्षिणः सहाभिधायकाः ।
५. क्रियार्थगतकार्यनिमित्तभूताः कार्यार्थाः ।
६. क्रियायां शब्दोपचयादिमात्रहेतवो निरर्थकाः ।
Vaiyakaranas
hold that Upsargas are Vacakas and Dyotakas. Though, their final opinion is
Upasargas are Dyotakas, one can see that there is difference of opinion among
them. Here, the view of Bhartrhari could be summarized by
his Karikas (verses) as below:
कार्याणाम्
अन्तरङ्गत्वम् एवं धातूपसर्गयोः ।
साधनैर् याति संबन्धं
तथाभूतैव सा क्रिया ॥
प्रयोगार्थेषु सिद्धः सन्
भेत्तव्योऽर्थो विशिष्यते ।
प्राक् च साधनसंबन्धात्
क्रिया नैवोपजायते ॥
धातोः साधनयोगस्य भाविनः
प्रक्रमाद् यथा ।
धातुत्वं कर्मभावश् च
तथान्यद् अपि दृश्यताम् ॥
बीजकालेषु संबन्धाद् यथा
लाक्षारसादयः ।
वर्णादिपरिणामेन फलानाम्
उपकुर्वते ॥
बुद्धिस्थाद् अभिसंबन्धात्
तथा धातूपसर्गयोः ।
अभ्यन्तरीकृताद् भेदः
पदकाले प्रकाशते ॥
क्व चित् संभविनो भेदाः
केवलैर् अनिदर्शिताः ।
उपसर्गेण संबन्धे
व्यज्यन्ते प्रनिरादिना ॥
स वाचको विशेषाणां संभवाद्
द्योतकोऽपि वा ।
शक्त्याधानाय वा धातोः
सहकारी प्रयुज्यते ॥
स्थादिभिः केवलैर् यच् च
गमनादि न गम्यते ।
तत्रानुमानाद् द्विविधात्
तद्धर्मा प्रादिर् उच्यते ॥
अप्रयोगेऽधिपर्योश् च
यावद् दृष्टं क्रियान्तरम् ।
तस्याभिधायको धातुः सह
ताभ्याम् अनर्थकः ॥ (वा.प २.१८२-१९०)
Here, it may appear that
Bhartrhari is of categorizing Upasargas. But in fact, Bhartrhari holds that
Upasargas are indicative only and they have no independent meaning. That is
what summarized by Bhattoji Dikshita in Kaumudi as उपसर्गा
अर्थविशेषस्य द्योतकाः. उपसर्गः conveys
various meanings that are ascribed to a धातुः but it
has no independent meaning.
In Mahdaviya Dhatupatha also it said as तस्माद्धातुरेवानेकार्थाभिधायी, प्रादयस्तु
प्रकरणादिवद्विशेषस्मृतिहेतवो द्योतकाः. Thus, the verb is the conveyor of meaning and प्र, परा
etc., are the indicators of meaning as per the context hidden in the verb
itself.
Chanakya in Arthashastra
says क्रिया-विशेषकाः प्र-आदय उपसर्गाः ॥ (अ.शा.०२.१०.१८).
Meaning that Upsargas have no independent identity but they exist through verbs
only.
Nirukta quoting
Shakatayana says न निर्बद्धा उपसर्गा अर्थान् आहुरिति शाकटायनः
(नि.१-३). Meaning that Upasarga does not have independent meaning but it
follows the verb and conveys the meaning of the verb. If Upasargas are
pronounced independently they do not convey any meaning just as the letter of a
word has no meaning independently. Thus, these Upasargas also do not have
independent meaning; they are meaningful if they are clubbed with a Noun or
Verb. Here, commentator Durgacharya explains in a beautiful way. The light
shows the qualities of a substance and it does not add any quality (or extra
quality) to the substance. The light only shows the quality already in a
thing/object. Thus with the help of light, the qualities already in an object
are exposed and no quality is added by the light. Thus, Upasarga also indicates
the hidden meaning of a verb and not adds any new meaning to the verb.
However, Acharya Gargya,
who was one of the ancient Grammarian and Niruktakara holds the different view.
He says उच्चावचाः पदार्था भवन्तीति गार्ग्यः (नि.१-३).
Upasargas have various meaning. These Upasargas even without the Noun and verbs
have independent meaning. His stand is all the letters have meaning
independently and in forming a word. For example if a pot is made with mud,
that each particle of the mud has the capacity to make a pot. In the same way
all the letters have the capacity to convey the meaning. In the same way,
Upasarga also has the capacity to convey the meaning directly. His argument is
that if a letter has no meaning then the word formed by meaningless letters
would also have no meaning. In the same way, if Upasarga does not have meaning,
the verb in composition with Upasarga would also have no meaning. When we
accept in principle that each letter has meaning, the Upasarga must also have
meaning. Thus, Upasarga has special meaning whereas verb has general or common
meaning. Verb in composition with Upasarga convey the meaning. Thus, ends this
context in Nirukta that suggests that the opinion of Niruktakara Yaska is also
that Upasarga has independent meaning or he accepts both the views by
presenting two views. This is inferred by the words of the commentator उक्तम् उपसर्गलक्षणं सामान्यं ... विशेषलक्षणमपि.
Patanjali says in Mahabhashya
when commenting on Varttika संघातेनार्थगतेः (१-३-१) संघातेन
ह्यर्थो गम्यते सप्रकृतिकेन सप्रत्ययकेन सोपसर्गेण च । the verb conveys
the meaning jointly with the root, suffix and preposition. Here, Nagesha writes
on this sentence that the root in composition with the suffix and preposition
conveys the meaning. Further, क्रियाविशेषक उपसर्गः (१-३-१)
in this Varttika, Bhashyakara says पचतीति क्रिया गम्यते तां प्रो विशिनष्टि
meaning it is understood that पचति is verb and the
preposition प्र explains the quality of the verb पचति. Here, one can understand that the view of Bhashyakara is
that Upasarga is Dyotaka (only indicator) and not Vacaka.
Though, one may get
confused while reading the following two verses that Upasarga has independent
meaning.
उपसर्गेण धात्वर्थो बलादन्यत्र नीयते।
प्रहाराहारसंहारविहारपरिहारवत्॥
धात्वर्थं बाधते कश्चित्, कश्चित्तमनुवर्तते।
तमेव विशिनष्ट्यन्य उपसर्गगतिस्त्रिथा॥
These verses explain the nature of Upasargas
and not the categories. The first verse explains that Upasargas take away the
general meaning of the verb. It does not mean that Upasarga has independent
meaning. It means that Upasarga shows the meaning hidden in the verb and not
adds a new meaning that is not in the verb. The second verse also talks about
the general or common meaning of the verb and not that Upasarga has independent
meaning.
Conclusion: There are two views Upasargas have
independent meaning and they do not have independent meaning. Alankarikas hold
six views which could also be summed up in two categories, that विशेषकाः, सहाभिधायकाः,
कार्यार्थाः, and निरर्थकाः can be
clubbed with Vacaka. So, major two views are Upasargas are Vacakas and
Dyotakas. Though the argument of Gargya holds valid, but in practice it losses
its credibility. Hence, Upasargas are Dyotakas, the view of Grammarians holds
good.
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