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pratyakṣaṁ cānumānaṁ ca śāstraṁ ca vividhāgamam

pratyakṣaṁ cānumānaṁ ca śāstraṁ ca vividhāgamam |
trayaṁ suviditaṁ kāryaṁ dharma-śuddhim abhīpsatā ||
ārṣaṁ dharmopadeśaṁ ca veda-śāstrāvirodhinā |
yas tarkeṇānusandhatte sa dharmaṁ veda naitaraḥ ||
(Manu-smṛti: 12.105–106)

“(1) Perception (pratayakṣa), (2) inference (anumāna), and (3) the śāstra—various sacred knowledges [i.e., those coming from the Śruti and Smṛti]—accurate understanding of these three is to be gathered by one desirous of veracity in dharma. One who inquires into the seers’ teaching of the dharma [i.e., Vedic dharma] with reasoning (tarka) that is not contrary to Vedic śāstras understands dharma, and not another [i.e., and not someone who fails to inquire or reason inappropriately while doing so].”

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śatror api guṇā grāhyā doṣā vācyā guror api

śatror api guṇā grāhyā doṣā vācyā guror api |
sarvathā sarva-yatnena putre śiṣye hitaṁ vadet ||
(Mahābhārata: 4.51.15)

“Qualities even of an enemy are to be accepted, and faults even of an elder (guru) are to be acknowledged. With all [due] care one should under all circumstances say that which is beneficial for a son and a disciple.”

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ālasyāt mūrkha-saṁyogād bhayād roga-nipīḍanāt

ālasyāt mūrkha-saṁyogād bhayād roga-nipīḍanāt |
atyaśaktyāc ca mānāc ca ṣaḍbhir vidyā vinaśyati ||
(Māṇḍūkī-śikṣā: 180)

“Because of laziness, because of companionship with fools, because of fear, because of the pain of a disease, because of severe inability, and because of conceit—learning is ruined by these six.”

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yukti-yuktaṁ vaco grāhyaṁ bālād api śukād api

yukti-yuktaṁ vaco grāhyaṁ bālād api śukād api |
ayuktam api na grāhyaṁ sākṣād api bṛhaspateḥ ||
(Unknown source)

“A statement endowed with reason, even from a boy, and even from a parrot, is to be accepted, while one devoid of reason is not to be accepted even from Bṛhaspati himself.

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yukti-yuktam upādeyaṁ vacanaṁ bālakād api

yukti-yuktam upādeyaṁ vacanaṁ bālakād api |
anyat tṛṇam iva tyājyam apy uktaṁ padma-janmanā ||
(Yoga Vaśiṣṭha: 2.18.3)

“A statement endowed with reason, even from a boy, is to be accepted. A statement otherwise [i.e., devoid of reason], even from he of lotus birth [viz., Brahmā], is to be rejected like straw.”

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yukti-yuktaṁ vaco grāhyaṁ na grāhyaṁ guru-gauravāt

yukti-yuktaṁ vaco grāhyaṁ na grāhyaṁ guru-gauravāt |
sarva-śāstra-rahasyaṁ tad yājñavalkyena bhāṣitam ||
(Yājñavalkya-śikṣā: 232)

“A statement that is endowed with reason is to be accepted and not to be accepted [just] because of reverence for the guru [alt., just because of the venerability of the guru, who spoke it]. This secret of all the śāstras has been stated by Yājñavalkya.”

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ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya

ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya |
yāre yaiche nācāya, se taiche kare nṛtya ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.5.142)

“Kṛṣṇa alone is Īśvara. Everyone else is a servant, and one whom he causes to dance dances just so.”

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vayo-hīnāj jñāna-hīnād vidyā-hīnāt tathaiva ca

vayo-hīnāj jñāna-hīnād vidyā-hīnāt tathaiva ca |
jāti-hīnād guror mantraṁ gṛhṇīyān na kadācana ||
aśāstrārthaṁ kṣataṁ mantraṁ ca gṛhṇīyāt kadācana |
mūrkhād āśrama-hīnāc ca pituḥ sannyāsinas tathā ||
rogiṇo vaṁśa-hīnāc ca bhāryā-hīnāt tathaiva ca |
mantra-kṣiptāt tathā mantraṁ na gṛhṇīyāt kadācana |
viṣṇu-mantraṁ na gṛhṇīyād viṣṇu-bhakti-vihīnataḥ |
na ca śaivān śāktāc ca gṛhṇīyād vaiṣṇavād dvijāt ||
(Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa: Kṛṣṇa-janma-khaṇḍa, 83.42–45)

“One should never accept a mantra from someone of lesser age, lesser knowledge, lesser learning, or lesser caste. One should never accept a mantra that has a meaning contrary to śāstra or is diminished [i.e., not given in full form]. One should never accept a mantra from a fool, from one of lesser āśrama, from a father, from a sannyāsī, from a sickly person, from someone without a family [i.e., children], from someone without a wife, or someone who has disregarded the mantra [i.e., forgotten it or neglected to meditate on it each day]. One should not accept a Viṣṇu-mantra from someone devoid of bhakti to Viṣṇu, or from a Śaiva or Śākta. One should accept [a Viṣṇu-mantra] from a twice-born Vaiṣṇava.”

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īkṣate karmaṇā yena tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam

īkṣate karmaṇā yena tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam |
dyati saṁsāram akhilaṁ tena dīkṣeti bhaṇyate ||
(Praśna-saṁhitā: 16.18–19)

“Dīkṣā is described by [i.e., as] that rite by which the supreme abode of Viṣṇu is seen and the totality of transmigration (saṁsāra) is cut away.”

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yad dyati kleśa-karmādīn īkṣayaty akhilam padam

yad dyati kleśa-karmādīn īkṣayaty akhilam padam |
kṣapayitvā malaṁ sarvaṁ dadāti ca paraṁ padam |
dīkṣeti tena tattvajñair varṇayate veda-pāragaiḥ ||
(Lakṣmī Tantra: 41.5–6)

“Dīkṣā is described by those cognizant of essence (tattva) and adept in the Veda by [i.e., as] that which destroys all contamination, cuts away afflictions and karmas, causes perception of the entire abode [i.e., world], and bestows the supreme abode.”

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