Reasoning

niḥsaṁśayeṣu sarveṣu nityaṁ vasati vai hariḥ

niḥsaṁśayeṣu sarveṣu nityaṁ vasati vai hariḥ |
sa-saṁśayād dhetu-balān nādhyāvasati mādhavaḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 12.349.71; cited in Paramātma Sandarbha: 17 and Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-tīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.40.10)

“Hari ever abides in all who are free from doubt. As a result of doubting and the strength of reasoning, [however,] Mādhava does not dwell [in a given place, i.e., Mādhava does not dwell in the hearts of those who are doubtful and rely solely upon reasoning to ascertain reality].”

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svalpāpi rucir eva syād bhakti-tattvāvabodhikā

svalpāpi rucir eva syād bhakti-tattvāvabodhikā |
yuktis tu kevalā naiva yad asyā apratiṣṭhatā ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.1.45)

“Even just a little ruci [i.e., ‘taste’] shall be an illuminator of the nature of bhakti. Pure reasoning, however, is certainly not, because of its inconclusiveness.”

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alaukika līlā ei parama nigūḍha

alaukika līlā ei parama nigūḍha |
viśvāse pāiye—tarke haya bahu-dūra ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.8.308)

“This otherworldly līlā is highly esoteric. With faith, it is attained. With tarka, it remains very far.”

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vādo nāvalambyaḥ

vādo nāvalambyaḥ |
bāhulyāvakāśatvād aniyatatvāc ca |
(Nārada-bhakti-sūtra: 74–75)

“Vāda is not to be taken support of because of [vāda] having scope for prolixity and being unrestrained [i.e., because vāda can go on unlimitedly and never reach a definitive end].”

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dharma-śāstreṣu mukhyeṣu vidyamāṇeṣu durbudhāḥ

dharma-śāstreṣu mukhyeṣu vidyamāṇeṣu durbudhāḥ |
buddhim ānvīkṣikīṁ prāpya nirarthaṁ pravadanti te ||
(Rāmāyaṇa: Ayodhya-kāṇḍa, 100.36)

“[Even] In the presence of the principal dharma-śāstras, the ignorant take to logic [i.e., purely logic inquiry] and profess meaningless assertions.”

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yo’vamanyeta te mūle hetu-śāstrāśrayād dvijaḥ

yo’vamanyeta te mūle hetu-śāstrāśrayād dvijaḥ |
sa sādhubhir bahiṣkāryo nāstiko veda-nindakaḥ ||
(Manu Smṛti: 2.11)

“A twice-born who disregards those two sources [of instruction, i.e., the Śruti and Smṛti] on account of adherence to hetu-śāstra [i.e., nyāya-śāstra] is an unbeliever (nāstika), a defamer of the Veda, and to be shunned by sādhus.”

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kevalaṁ śāstram āśritya na kartavyo vinirṇayaḥ

kevalaṁ śāstram āśritya na kartavyo vinirṇayaḥ |
yukti-hīna-vicāre tu dharma-hāniḥ prajāyate ||
(Bṛhaspati; quoted in the Smṛti-candrikā)

“Do not ascertain what is to be done on the basis of śāstra alone. Dharma is lost by deliberation devoid of reasoning.”

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naiṣā tarkeṇa matir āpaneyā

naiṣā tarkeṇa matir āpaneyā
proktānyenaiva sujñānāya preṣṭha |
(Kaṭha Upaniṣad: 1.2.9)

“O dear one, this understanding [i.e., knowledge of Brahman] is not to be sought with tarka. Only when taught by another [i.e., one who already knows Brahman] does one acquire true knowledge.”

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tarke ihā nāhi māne yei durācāra

tarke ihā nāhi māne yei durācāra |
kumbhīpāke pace, tāra nāhika nistāra ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.17.307)

“An ill-behaved person who because of argument does not accept this fries in Kumbhīpāka. There is no deliverance for them.”

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