Verses on the Recognition of the Lord· 5.8 / 21

Verses on the Recognition of the Lord5.8

5.8
अनुमानम् अनाभातपूर्वे नैवेष्टम् इन्द्रियम् आभातम् एव बीजादेर् आभासाद् धेतुवस्तुनः ॥८॥
anumānam anābhātapūrve naiveṣṭam indriyam ābhātam eva bījāder ābhāsād dhetuvastunaḥ
— inference ; — with respect to what has not appeared before ; — not at all ; — is admitted (as valid) ; — the sense-faculty (the power inferred) ; — only what has (already) appeared ; — from a seed and the like ; — from the appearance ; — of the causal thing (the sprout etc.)

Inference is never admitted with respect to what has not appeared before; only the sense-faculty, which has (itself) once appeared, (is inferred) from the appearance of a causal thing such as a seed (giving rise to its sprout).