aviśeṣeṇa dharmiṇi nirdiṣṭe yadviśeṣeṇa {vi} kalpanaṃ tad etaj jātyuttaram iti darśayann āha ata ityādi. ato 'viśeṣanirdiṣṭe viśeṣeṇa vikalpanam /
When the subject has been indicated in an unqualified way, the construction of alternatives with qualifications is a futile rejoinder - showing this, he states [the verse beginning with] "ataḥ" and so forth: "Therefore, [proposing] alternatives with qualifications when [something] has been indicated without qualification [is a futile rejoinder]."