Bhartrihari Quotes
Bhartrihari was an Indian Sanskrit grammarian and philosopher of language whose Vakyapadiya is one of the founding texts of Indian linguistic philosophy. Building on the grammatical tradition of Panini, he developed the doctrine of Sphota, the indivisible meaning-bearing unit of speech, and argued that all cognition is permeated by language. The quotes below are attributed to Bhartrihari, organized by topic.
Bhartrihari on God
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Attributed to Bhartrihari:
“The ultimate Brahman is the Word, eternal and without beginning.”
Bhartrihari on Mind
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Attributed to Bhartrihari:
“All cognition is permeated by language.”
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Attributed to Bhartrihari:
“There is no thought that is not interwoven with words.”
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Attributed to Bhartrihari:
“Speech is the meeting place of thought and being.”
Bhartrihari on Truth
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Attributed to Bhartrihari:
“The word is the seed from which all reality unfolds.”