अनुमानम् - Anumāna

 

अनुमान - Anumāna

Etymology

अनु + मा+ ल्युट्  = अनुमानम्

anu + mā+ lyuṭ  = anumānam

·       Anu  is the prefix – which means follows

·       Mā is the root (माङ् माने) – to measure

·       Lyut is the suffix that is used in the sense to indicate instrumentality – it is based on the grammar rule karaṇādhikaraṇāyośca  ( aṣṭādhyāyī 3.3.117)

The derivative statement is – अनुमीयते अनेन इति अनुमानम्   - anumīyate anena iti anumānam  that (process) by which inference is done.

 

To explain - The process of inference is instrumental (lyut ) in knowing (Mā – to measure) about an object that follows (anu) sensory input and the grasp of concomitance of the major and minor terms. Hence it is called as Anumāna.

 

Lexicon – There is no reference to this term in Amarakośa

 

Textual occurrences

Yogasūtra

There are two occurrences of this term in this text and both are from the first chapter.

1.     प्रत्यक्षानुमानागमाः प्रमाणानि ॥ १.७ ॥     pratyakṣānumānāgamāḥ pramāṇāni .. 1.7 .. –

Here inference or anumāna is counted as one among the three modes of right knowledge

 

2.     श्रुतानुमानप्रज्ञाभ्यामन्यविषया विशेषार्थत्वात् ॥ १.४९॥

śrutānumānaprajñābhyāmanyaviṣayā viśeṣārthatvāt .. 1.49.. –

The second occurrence of term is in the context of stating that ṛtambharā prajñā  (the truth bearing clarity that arises out of samādhi) is different from the clarity arising out of verbal testimony and inference.

 

Bhagavadgītā  & Haṭhayogapradīpikā - The word is not used in these two texts.

 

Observations

As stated earlier – it becomes evident that Yoga texts do not have much epistemological discussions. It is also interesting to note that while inference is accepted as a valid source of authentic knowledge – there is higher state of clarity in Yogic tradition than that of inference. This also shows the relative position of inference in Yogic context. 

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