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Negations in Pāninian Rules

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2026

George Cardona
George Cardona*
Affiliation:
University of Pennsylvania
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Abstract

Some of Pāṇini's rules contain negative compounds. In such cases there is ambiguity; the negative can be construed with the nominal following it in the compound, or it can be construed with a verb. According to the Mahābhāṣya, the first interpretation yields a positive rule providing an operation in a domain specified by the negative compound: non-x. The second interpretation yields a negative rule providing for the cancellation of an operation already provided for. Again, the first interpretation yields a one-step operation, while the second interpretation requires that two sentences be understood, providing two steps: tentative application of an operation and its subsequent cancellation. Both interpretations involve negation (pratiṣedha); the first type is called paryudāsa (pratiṣedha) 'limitation(al negation)', the second type prasajyapratiṣedha 'negation (subsequent to tentatively) applying'. The conclusions derived from the Mahābhāṣya are used to judge some formulations in the Kāśikā. In addition, it is shown that, while Patañjali usually demonstrates that both interpretations of an ambiguous negative compound will yield desired results, later commentators decide in favor of one or the other interpretation on the basis of economy. Finally, it is shown that the rules usually considered by Western scholars do not lend themselves to a clear understanding of the essential difference between paryudāsa and prasajyapratiṣedha.

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Type
Research Article
Information
Language , Volume 43 , Issue 1 , March 1967 , pp. 34 - 56
Copyright
Copyright © 1967 by Linguistic Society of America

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