UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Paksha is the subject or locus in which the probandum is to be established, such as the hill in the classic example. All discussion about the presence of hetu and sadhya is centred on this subject. Identifying the paksha is crucial for evaluating whether the reason genuinely applies to the case under consideration. Hence, in the sentence mentioned, "hill" serves as paksha.

Option A:
Option A, sadhya, is the property to be proved, namely "fiery", and cannot be identified with the subject that bears it. Confusing the two would obscure the roles of locus and attribute.

Option B:
Option B, hetu, refers to the reason or middle term, such as smoke, that is used to justify the conclusion and is not the subject in which the property is being asserted.

Option C:
Option C is correct because paksha literally means the "side" or standpoint in dispute and names the entity about which the argument is made. Nyaya’s analysis of inference always begins by specifying this locus.

Option D:
Option D, vyapti, denotes the universal concomitance between hetu and sadhya and is a relation, not a concrete subject like the hill.