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.”