vedāntārthānuguṇo’sau na nivāryate
vedāntārthānuguṇo’sau na nivāryate |
(Siddhānta-ratna: 1.14)
“Reasoning that conforms to the meaning of the Veda is not prohibited.”
Tarka
tat-poṣa-kārī tarkas tv apekṣata eva
tat-poṣa-kārī tarkas tv apekṣata eva |
(Govinda-bhāṣya on Vedānta-sūtra: 2.1.11)
“Reasoning which supports that [i.e., Śruti] is certainly necessary.”
mahāśakti-vilāsātmā bhāvo’cintya-svarūpa-bhāk
mahāśakti-vilāsātmā bhāvo’cintya-svarūpa-bhāk |
raty-ākhyā ity ayaṁ yukto na hi tarkeṇa bādhitum |
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.5.92)
“This bhāva, known as rati, by constitution an expression of the supreme potency [i.e., the hlādinī-śakti], and [thus] possessed of an inconceivable nature, is not fit to be assailed with argument.”
yatnenāpādito’py arthaḥ kuśalair anumātṛbhiḥ
yatnenāpādito’py arthaḥ kuśalair anumātṛbhiḥ |
abhiyuktatarair anyair anyathaivopapādyate ||
(Vākya-padīya: 1.34; cited in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.1.46)
“Even a meaning established with assiduity by expert logicians is refuted [lit., proven to be otherwise] by others more proficient [in various forms of reasoning].”
tāre kahe—kene kara kutarkānumāna?
tāre kahe—kene kara kutarkānumāna? |
śāstra-viruddhārtha kabhu nā haya pramāṇa ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.2.73)
“To that, it is said, ‘Why do you make an inference based on fallacious reasoning? A meaning that is contrary to śāstra is never authentic [i.e., a valid means of knowing the object of knowledge].”
alaukika kṛṣṇa-līlā—divya-śakti tāra
alaukika kṛṣṇa-līlā—divya-śakti tāra |
tarkera gocara nahe caritra yā̐hāra ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 3.19.103)
“Kṛṣṇa-līlā is otherworldly, and it possess divine śakti the acts of which are not within the scope of tarka.”
purāṇaṁ pañcarātraṁ ca
purāṇaṁ pañcarātraṁ ca vedāḥ pāśupatās tathā |
atipramāṇāny etāni na hantavyāni hetubhiḥ ||
(Yājñavalkya Ṛṣi; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 12.421)
“Purāṇas, Pañcarātras, Vedas, and Pāśupatas—these are highly authoritative and should not be controverted with arguments.”
duṣkaraṁ parama-jñānaṁ
duṣkaraṁ parama-jñānaṁ tarkeṇātra vyavasyati |
śrutir dharma iti hy eke vadanti bahavo janāḥ |
na tv etat pratisūyāmi na hi sarvaṁ vidhīyate ||
(Mahābhārata: 8.49.48–49)
[Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa recounts to Arjuna a statement of Indra:] “Complete understanding [of dharma] is difficult to attain. In this regard [i.e., in regard to proper understanding of dharma] one ascertains it with reasoning. Many persons says, ‘Dharma is śruti.’ While I do not oppose this [i.e., this view], it is not applicable to everything.”
tarko’pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā
tarko’pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā
nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam |
dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ
mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: Vana-parva, 313.117; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.17.186, 2.25.57)
“Reasoning is inconclusive, the Śrutis are variegated, and one whose opinion is not distinctive is not a ṛṣi. The nature of dharma is [thus] hidden in secret. [Therefore,] That by which a mahājana has gone is the path.”
mahāśakti-vilāsātmā
mahāśakti-vilāsātmā bhāvo’cintya-svarūpa-bhāk |
raty-ākhyā ity ayaṁ yukto na hi tarkeṇa bādhitum |
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.5.92)
“This bhāva, known as rati, by constitution an expression of the supreme potency [i.e., the hlādinī-śakti], and [thus] possessed of an inconceivable nature, is not fit to be assailed with argument.”