Mimamsasutra 101.2

101.2

api veti pakṣavyāvṛttiḥ. evaṃjātīyakaḥ sarvadharmaḥ syāt. kutaḥ. tannyāyatvād vidhānasya. vidhīyate 'neneti vidhānaṃ śabdaḥ. so 'numīyate smṛtyāḥ. na ca tasyākṛtivacanatā nyāyyā. na ca vyaktivacanatā, na sarveṣām anuṣṭhātṝṇāṃ yad ekaṃ [74] sāmānyaṃ, tasya vācakaḥ kaścit śabdo 'sti, yo 'numīyeta. tasmāt sarvadharmatā vidher nyāyyā. kutaḥ. padārthāḥ kartavyā iti pramāṇam asti, vyavasthāyāṃ tu na kiñcit pramāṇam asti.

The words "on the contrary" set aside the prima facie view. A rite of this kind must be a duty for all. Why? Because the injunction is governed by that principle. An injunction (vidhāna) is the word, [so called] because "by this something is enjoined." It is inferred from tradition. And it is not proper that it denotes a generic form; nor does it denote an individual, for there is no single word denoting the common universal of all performers that could be inferred. Therefore, it is proper that the injunction applies as a duty to all. Why? Because there is an authoritative means of knowledge to the effect that the ritual acts must be performed, whereas with regard to any restriction [to a particular region], there is no authoritative means of knowledge at all.