[Advaita-l] ata eva paSavah

[Siva Senani Nori]

In another forum (BVP), there has been a discussion involving Naiyaayikaas and VaiyaakaraNas and my teach Br. Ve. Prof. K. Subrahmanyam garu mentioned this exchange between Naiyaayikaas and VaiyaakaraNas.
 
V: naiyaayikaah paSavah - "the followers of Nyaya are animals".
 
N: vaiyaakaraNaah triNavah - supposed to be understood as "the followers of grammar are blades of grass". However, there is a problem: triNa, ending in a, takes the form 'triNaah' in nominal plural (prathamaa-bahu-vacanam), not triNavah. paSu being a noun ending in u declines differently. Since the Naiyaayikaas do not grasp this difference, the VaiyaakaraNas retort:
 
V: ata eva paSavah - "that is why, they are animals".
 
Just for laughs.
 
Senani