Yugas and Classes of People : Lineage of Sages - Verse 108-110

The word Hetu (reason of inference) is derived from \/hi ‘to destroy’. 1 ‘That which destroys what is argued by the opponent5 is called Hetu. Or it may be from ^/hi ‘to go5 — ‘that which enables one to the acquisition of the meaning* is Hetu. It helps to arrive at a definite (decisive) meaning of a statement after refuting the opponent’s standpoint. Preceptors say that it means Ninda (censure ) when the statements (of the opponents) are censured due to their defects.