CC Adi 2.74
TEXT 74
anuvādam anuktvā tu
na vidheyam udīrayet
na hy alabdhāspadaṁ kiñcit
kutracit pratitiṣṭhati
SYNONYMS
anuvādam—the subject; anuktvā—not stating; tu—but; na—not; vidheyam—the predicate; udīrayet—one should speak; na—not; hi—certainly; alabdha-āspadam—without a secure position; kiñcit—something; kutracit—anywhere; pratitiṣṭhati—stands.
TRANSLATION
“‘One should not state a predicate before its subject, for it cannot thus stand without proper support.’
PURPORT
This rhetorical rule appears in the Ekādaśī-tattva, Thirteenth Canto, in connection with the metaphorical use of words. An unknown object should not be put before the known subject because the object has no meaning if the subject is not first given.