Mimamsasutra 92.2

92.2

api veti pakṣavyāvṛttiḥ. agṛhyamāṇakāraṇā evaṃjātīyakāḥ pramāṇam. nanu kramakālau virundhanti. virudhnantu. naiṣa doṣaḥ. ācamanaṃ padārthaḥ padārthānāṃ ca guṇaḥ kramaḥ. na ca guṇānurodhena padārtho na kartavyo bhavati. api ca prāptānāṃ padārthānām uttarakālaṃ krama āpatati. yadā padārthaḥ prāpnoti, tadā krama eva nāsti, kena saha virodho bhaviṣyatīti. tathā yadi dakṣiṇena nācaryate, kālo mā virodhīd iti, tatra kālānurodhena padārtho nānyathātvam abhyupagacchet. prayogāṅgaṃ hi kālaḥ padārthānām upakārakaḥ. ato na kālānurodhena vyathayitavyaḥ padārthaḥ. api ca śaucaṃ dakṣiṇācāratā yajñopavītitvaṃ caivaṃjātīyakā arthā vyavadhātāro na bhavanti. sarvapadārthānāṃ [70] śeṣabhūtatvāt. tasmād ācamanādīnāṃ prāmāṇyam.

The words 'Or rather' (api vā) mark the rejection of the prima facie view. Practices of this sort whose motive [in worldly purpose] is not perceived constitute authoritative means of valid knowledge. Objection: But they conflict with order and time! Answer: Let them conflict! This is no defect. Sipping water (ācamana) is a principal ritual item (padārtha), whereas order is an attribute (guṇa) of ritual items; and a ritual item is not to be left unperformed merely out of regard for an attribute. Moreover, order presents itself subsequent to the presentation of the ritual items themselves. When the ritual item presents itself, order does not yet exist; with what, then, could there be a conflict? Likewise, as to the objection that if one does not act with the right hand [alone], lest time be contradicted—in that case, the ritual item should not undergo modification out of regard for time. For time is an auxiliary to performance, functioning as an aid to ritual items; therefore, a ritual item must not be disturbed out of regard for time. Furthermore, purification, acting with the right hand, wearing the sacred thread, and things of this kind do not constitute interruptions, because they are subsidiaries to all ritual items. Therefore, sipping water and the like are authoritative.