yathoktam ---"asataḥ prāgasāmarthyāt paścād anupayogataḥ / prāgbhāvaḥ sarvahetūnāṃ nāto 'rthaḥ svadhiyā saheti //
As has been stated: "Due to the non-existence [of an effect], there can be no prior capacity [in the cause], and afterward there would be no use [for the cause]; all causes must pre-exist [their effects], therefore an object cannot exist simultaneously with its own cognition."