ther beings, originates.--But--an objection
will be raised--in Sutra I, 1, 2 ('That whence there is the origin, &c.
of this world') it has been proved that the world originates from
Brahman; how then can it be said here that it originates from the word?
And, moreover, even if the origin of the world from the word of the Veda
be admitted, how is the contradiction in regard to the word removed
thereby, inasmuch as the Vasus, the Rudras, the Adityas, the
Vi/s/vedevas, and the Maruts[195] are non-eternal beings, because
produced; and if they are non-eternal, what is there to preclude the
non-eternality of the Vedic words Vasu, &c. designating them? For it is
known from every-day life that only when the son of Devadatta is born,
the name Yaj/n/adatta is given to him (lit. made for him)[196]. Hence we
adhere to our opinion that a contradiction does arise with regard to the
'word.'

This objection we negative, on the ground that we observe the eternity
of the connexion between such words as cow, and so on, and the things
denoted by them. For, although the individuals of the (species denoted
by the word) cow have an origin, their species[197] does not have an
origin, since of (the three categories) substances, qualities, and
actions the individuals only originate, not the species. Now it is with
the species that the words are connected, not with the individuals,
which, as being infinite in number, are not capable of entering into
that connexion. Hence, although the individuals do not originate, no
contradiction arises in the case of words such as cow, and the like,
since the species are eternal. Similarly, although individual gods are
admitted to originate, there arises no contradiction in the case of such
words as Vasu, and the like, since the species denoted by them are
eternal. And that the gods, and so on, belong to different species, is
to be concluded from the descriptions of their various personal
appearance, such as given in the mantras, arthavadas, &c. Terms such as
'Indra' rest on the connexion (of some particular being) with some
particular place, analogously to terms such as 'army-leader;' hence,
whoever occupies that particular place is called by that particular
name.--The origination of the world from the 'word' is not to be
understood in that sense, that the word constitutes the material cause
of the world, as Brahman does; but while there exist the everlasting
words, whose essence is the power of denotation in c