न हि निन्दा निन्दयितुं प्रयुज्यते । किं तर्हि ? निन्दितादितरत् प्रशंसितुम् ।
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.”
Commentary
An alternate statement of this principle, which is known as na hi nindā-nyāya, is found in the Tantra-vārtika of Kumārila Bhaṭṭa on Mīmāṁsā-sūtra:
न हि निन्दा निन्द्यं निन्दितुं प्रवर्त्ततेऽपि तु विधेयं स्तोतुम् ।
na hi nindā nindyaṁ nindituṁ pravartate‘pi tu vidheyam stotum |
“The criticism (nindā) is not intended to criticize the object of criticism, but rather to praise the undertaking [i.e., the action that the sentence is stated to motivate one to perform].”
Another statement of this principle can be found as follows:
न हि निन्दा निन्द्यं निन्दयितुं प्रवर्ततेऽपि तु प्रशस्तं स्तोतुं अभिगच्छति ।
na hi nindā nindyaṁ nindayituṁ pravartate’pi tu praśastaṁ stotuṁ abhigacchati |
“The criticism (nindā) is not intended to criticize the object of criticism, but rather aims to praise the praised object.”