pradīpaḥ sarva-vidyānām upāyaḥ sarva-karmaṇām |
āśrayaḥ sarva-dharmānāṁ vidyoddeśe prakīrtitā ||
(Vātsyāyana’s Nyāya-bhāṣya on Gautama’s Nyāya-sūtra: 1.1.1)
“Ānvīkṣikī [i.e., logic (nyāya)] is stated in the enumeration of sciences [i.e., fields of knowledge] to be the lamp of all sciences (vidyās), the means for [accomplishing] all karmas, and the basis of all dharmas.”
prathame hi vidvāṁso vaiyākaraṇāḥ vyākaraṇa-mūlatvāt sarva-vidyānām |
(Dhvanyāloka of Ānanda-vardhana)
“From the very first, the learned are vaiyākaraṇas (grammarians), since vyākaraṇa (grammar) is the basis of all knowledges.”
tad dvāram apavargasya vāṅ-malānāṁ cikitsitam |
pavitraṁ sarva-vidyānām adhividyaṁ prakāśate ||
(Bhartṛhari’s Vākya-padīya: 1.14)
“This [i.e., vyākaraṇa] door to liberation, treatment for the impurities of speech, and purifier of all knowledges shines over [i.e., casts light on, all types of] knowledge.”
upāsanīyaṁ yatnena śāstraṁ vyākaraṇaṁ mahat |
pradīpa-bhūtaṁ sarvāsāṁ vidyānāṁ yad avasthitam ||
(Unknown Source)
“The great śāstra of vyākaraṇa, which remains fixed as the lamp of all [other] vidyās, is to be studied with exertion.”
aṅgāni vedāś catvāro mīmāṁsā nyāya-vistaraḥ |
purāṇaṁ dharma-śāstraṁ ca vidyā hy etāś caturdaśa ||
āyurvedo dhanur-vedo gāndharvaś caiva te trayaḥ |
artha-śāstraṁ caturthaṁ tu vidyā hy aṣṭādaśaiva tāḥ ||
(Viṣṇu Purāṇa: 3.6.28–29)
“The [six] aṅgas [of the Veda, viz., Śikṣā (pronunciation), Kalpa (ritual), Jyotiśa (astrology), Chanda (meter), Nirukti (etymology), and Vyākaraṇa (grammar)], the four Vedas [viz., Ṛg-veda, Sāma-veda, Yajur-veda and Atharva-veda], Mīmāṁsā [i.e., exegesis of the Veda], the extensive Nyāya (logic), the Purāṇas, and the dharma-śāstras (law)—these are the fourteen vidyās (sciences). Āyurveda (medicine), Dhanurveda [i.e., weaponry, alliance, warfare, and so forth], Gāndharvaveda [i.e., arts such as music, dance, and performance]—these three, and a fourth, Artha-śāstra [i.e., polity, ethics, and so forth]—[in sum] these are the eighteen vidyās.”
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.”
abhyāso na hi tyaktavyo abhyāso hi paraṁ balam |
anabhyāse viṣaṁ vidyā ajīrṇe bhojanaṁ viṣam ||
(Subhāṣita-mañjarī)
“Practice (abhyāsa) is never to be abandoned. Practice is indeed the greatest strength. Without practice, knowledge is poison, just as food is poison during indigestion.”
tat karma hari-toṣaṁ yat sā vidyā tan-matir yayā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.29.49)
“That which satisfies Hari is karma [i.e., only action that is a cause of Hari’s satisfaction is truly action that ought to be performed], and that by which one becomes endowed with understanding of him is vidyā [i.e., only knowledge based on śāstra by which one comes to perceive Hari is true knowledge].”
vastreṇa vapuṣā vācā vidyayā vinayena ca |
va-kāraiḥ pañcabhir hīnaḥ naro nāyāti gauravam ||
(Unknown Source)
“Cloth, figure, speech, knowledge, and good conduct—a person without these five v’s does not attain respect.”
kṛṣṇa-kṛpā vine nahe duḥkhera mocana |
thākila vā vidyā kula koṭi koṭi dhana ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata: 1.7.138)
“Without Kṛṣṇa’s grace, deliverance from suffering does not occur, even if one has learning, nobility, or crores and crores of wealth.”
