Kumārila Bhaṭṭa

na hi nindā nindayituṁ prayujyate

na hi nindā nindayituṁ prayujyate | kiṁ tarhi? ninditād itarat praśaṁsitum |
(Śabara-bhāṣya on Mīmāṁsā-sūtra: 2.4.21)

“The criticism (nindā) is not employed to criticize. Then what [is it employed for]? To praise something other than that which is criticized.”

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viṣayo viśayaś caiva pūrvapakṣas tathottaram

viṣayo viśayaś caiva pūrvapakṣas tathottaram |
nirṇayaś ceti pañcāṅgaṁ śāstre’dhikaraṇaṁ smṛtam ||
(Śloka-vārtika of Kumārila Bhaṭṭa)

“(1) The subject (viṣaya), (2) a doubt (viśaya) [regarding it], (3) a prior position (pūrvapakṣa) [regarding it], then (4) the answer [lit., the ‘latter’ position regarding it], (5) and the conclusion (nirṇaya)—an adhikaraṇa [i.e., ‘topic’] in śāstra in known to be of these five parts.”

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labdhātmikā satī rūḍhir bhaved yogāpahāriṇī

labdhātmikā satī rūḍhir bhaved yogāpahāriṇī |
kalpanīyā tu labhate nātmānaṁ yoga-bādhataḥ ||
(Kumārila Bhaṭṭa; cited in Jīva Gosvāmī’s ṭīkā to Brahma-saṁhitā: 5.1)

“The acquired conventional meaning (rūḍhi-artha) [of a word] overrides its etymological meaning (yoga-artha). A word meaning should not be supposed [through etymology] when there is an obstruction to its own etymological meaning [by the conventional meaning in the context of the word’s usage].”

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