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.”
pañcarātra-purāṇāni setihāsāni mānavāḥ |
ye vinindanti teṣāṁ vai vacanaṁ parivarjayet ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 12.420)
“Reject the statements of people who denigrate the Pañcarātras, Purāṇas, and Itihāsas.”
yeṣāṁ viśveśvare viṣṇau śive bhaktir na vidyate |
na teṣāṁ vacanaṁ grāhyaṁ dharma-nirṇaya-siddhaye ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 12.419)
“The statements of those who do not have bhakti to auspicious Viṣṇu, the Lord of Universe, [alt., to the Lord of the Universe, Viṣṇu, and Śiva] are not acceptable for the purpose of ascertaining dharma.”
yeṣāṁ gurau na japye vā viṣṇau ca paramātmani |
nāsti bhaktiḥ sadā teṣāṁ vacanaṁ parivarjayet ||
(Vaiṣṇava Tantra; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 12.418)
“Always completely reject the statements of those who do not have bhakti to guru, a mantra [lit., “that which is to be chanted”], or the Paramātmā Viṣṇu.”
yeṣāṁ na kāraṇaṁ vedā na viprā na janārdanaḥ |
tantrāṇi dharma-śāstrāṇi teṣāṁ vākyaṁ vivarjayet ||
(Viṣṇu Rahasya; Kūrma Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 12.417)
“Reject the statements of the tantras and dharma-śāstra which do not have the authority of the Vedas, brāhmaṇas, and Janārdana.”
itihāsa-purāṇa-jñāḥ smṛti-siddhānta-vedinaḥ |
vāsudeva-priyā ye ca tad-uktaṁ vaidikaṁ bhavet ||
(Padma Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 12.416)
“The directive of one who is learned in the Itihāsas and Purāṇas, knowledgable in the siddhānta of the Smṛti, and dear to Vāsudeva shall be Vedic.”
saṁspṛṣṭvā vaiṣṇavān viprān viṣṇu-śāstra-viśāradān |
cīrṇa-vratān sadācārāṁs tad-uktaṁ yatnataś caret ||
(Kūrma Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 12.415)
“After inquiring from Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇas who are well-verses in Viṣṇu-śāstra, who have performed vratas [themselves], and who are of proper conduct (sadācāra), carefully follow their statements.”
arcayanti sadā viṣṇuṁ mano-vāk-kāya-karmabhiḥ |
teṣāṁ hi vacanaṁ kāryaṁ te hi viṣṇu-samā matāḥ ||
(Viṣṇu Rahasya; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 12.414)
“The directives of those who constantly worship Viṣṇu with their minds, words, bodies, and actions should be followed, since they are indeed considered equal to Viṣṇu.”
atha dīkṣitasya pūjāyā nityatā |
labdhvā mantraṁ tu yo nityaṁ nārcayen mantra-devatām |
sarva-karmāphalaṁ tasyāniṣṭaṁ yacchati devatā ||
(Āgama-śāstra; cited Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 3.3)
“Now, the necessity of pūjā for one who has [received] dīkṣā [is described]: All the activities of one who receives a mantra but does not daily worship the devatā of the mantra are fruitless, and the devatā imposes disadvantage upon him.”
divyaṁ jñānaṁ yato dadyāt kuryāt pāpasya saṁkṣayam |
tasmād dīkṣeti sā proktā deśikais tattva-kovidaiḥ ||
(Viṣṇu-yāmala; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 2.9; Bhakti Sandarbha: 283)
“Therefore, that which shall grant divine knowledge and shall completely destroy sin is called dīkṣā by preceptors learned in the truth.”
