 Solution

For $A\in \mathcal{C}$, the comma category $(A\downarrow G)$ has objects $(D,u)$ with $D\in \mathcal{D}$ and $u:A\to GD$. A morphism $(D,u)\to (D^{\prime },u^{\prime })$ is $h:D\to D^{\prime }$ satisfying $Ghu=u^{\prime }$. Identities and composition are those of $\mathcal{D}$, and functoriality of $G$ verifies the condition under composition.

The Freyd general adjoint functor theorem states: if $\mathcal{D}$ is a locally small category with all small categorical limits, and $\mathcal{C}$ is locally small, then $G:\mathcal{D}\to \mathcal{C}$ has a left adjoint if and only if it preserves small limits and satisfies the solution-set condition. The latter means that for each $A$ there is a set-indexed family $u_i:A\to G{D}_i$ such that every $u:A\to GD$ equals $Gh{u}_i$ for some $i$ and some $h:D_i\to D$.

For necessity, use the standard result that a right adjoint preserves categorical limits. If $F⊣G$, the singleton family containing the unit of an adjunction ${\eta }_A:A\to GFA$ is a solution set, since transposition gives $u=Gh{\eta }_A$ for a unique $h:FA\to D$.

For sufficiency, use the following standard limit fact: if $\mathcal{D}$ is complete and $G$ preserves limits, the projection $(A\downarrow G)\to \mathcal{D}$ creates small limits. Indeed, a compatible family $A\to G{D}_j$ induces a unique arrow into $G(\lim D_j)$, and this makes the underlying limit a limit in the comma category. The comma category is locally small because each of its hom-sets is a subset of a hom-set of $\mathcal{D}$. Its solution family is a weakly initial set.

We prove the remaining initial-object lemma for complete categories with a weakly initial set. In any locally small category $\mathcal{K}$ with all small limits and a weakly initial set $(K_i)$, form $W={\prod }_i{K}_i$. It is weakly initial: for any $X$, some $K_i\to X$ exists and may be composed with the projection $W\to K_i$. The empty family cannot be weakly initial in a nonempty complete category, which has a terminal object.

The set $\mathrm{End}(W)$ is small. Form a simultaneous equalizer $e:E\to W$ of every endomorphism of $W$ and $1_W$; thusThis equalizer exists by completeness, for example as the equalizer of two maps $W\rightrightarrows W^{\mathrm{End}(W)}$. The object $E$ is still weakly initial, since it maps to $W$.

Given $a,b:E\to X$, take their equalizer $j:Y\to E$. Weak initiality of $W$ gives $t:W\to Y$. Since $ejt$ is an endomorphism of $W$, we have $ejte=e$, and cancellation of the monomorphism $e$ gives $jte=1_E$. Thus $j$ is a split epimorphism as well as a monomorphism, so it is an isomorphism. From $aj=bj$ follows $a=b$. There is at least one map $E\to X$ by weak initiality, so $E$ is initial.

Apply this lemma to every $(A\downarrow G)$ and choose its initial object $(FA,{\eta }_A)$. For $v:A\to A^{\prime }$, initiality gives the unique $Fv:FA\to F{A}^{\prime }$ satisfying $GFv{\eta }_A={\eta }_{A^{\prime }}v$. Uniqueness proves the functor laws. The same initiality gives natural bijectionsHence $F⊣G$, completing the theorem without invoking another adjoint functor theorem.