The
Pauṣkara briefly discusses the meaning-expressing nature of śabda (constituted of phonemes,
varṇa) and the means to the cognition of word and sentence meaning. According to this dualistic Śaiva Tantra, meaning is denoted
by nāda, a capacity of varṇas. Varṇas also are the means to the cognition of meaning through a capacity (
saṃskāra) manifested in them. Although the meaning-denoting capacity is natural to varṇas, the relation of words (which are nothing
but groups of varṇas) with objects is fixed by convention. This article translates and analyzes the relevant passages from
the sixth and eighth chapters. Certain arguments of plagiarism levelled against the eighth chapter of the
Pauṣkara are examined in the concluding part of the article.
Keywords Theory of meaning - Śaivism - Pauṣkaratantra - Nāda - Saṃskāra - Parākhyatantra