Verse Text
atha (21) vitarkaḥ –
vimarṣāt saṁśayādeś ca vitarkas tūha ucyate |
eṣa bhrū-ksepaṇa-śiro ’ṅguli-saṣcālanādi-kṛt ||132||
Translation
Arriving at a conclusion based on error, doubt or inference is called vitarka (conjecture). In this state, moving the brows and moving the head and fingers occur.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Vimarṣa means to infer a cause. Thus “There is fire on the mountain because I see smoke.” Saṁśaya or doubt means inability to come to a conclusion because of seeing contrary views. An example is “Is that a man or a pillar?” Ādi indicates a mistake. An example is thinking that a sea shell is a piece of silver. The judgment for concluding the truth of the matter (ūha) by these methods is called vitarka. Reaching a conclusion from vimarṣa or logical analysis depends upon the validity of the logical proposition. After seeing smoke, one must use the proposition “where there is smoke there is fire, as in the kitchen.” Thus one concludes that there must be fire. The conclusion after doubt can only be made by reasoning as well. After making a wrong conclusion, correct reasoning also is sometimes seen.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Argumentativeness