वादो जल्पो वितण्डेति त्रिविधा विदुषां कथा ।
तत्त्वनिर्णयमुद्दिश्य केवलं गुरुशिष्ययोः ॥
कथान्येषामपि सतां वादो वा समितेः शुभा ।
ख्यात्याद्यर्थं स्पर्धया वा सतां जल्प इतीर्यते ॥
वितण्डा तु सतामन्यैस्तत्त्वमेषु निगूहितम् ।
vādo jalpo vitaṇḍeti trividhā viduṣāṁ kathā |
tattva-nirṇayam uddiśya kevalaṁ guru-śiṣyayoḥ ||
kathānyeṣām api satāṁ vādo vā samiteḥ śubhā |
khyāty-ādy-arthaṁ spardhayā vā satāṁ jalpa itīryate ||
vitaṇḍā tu satām anyais tattvam eṣu nigūhitam |
(Madhvācārya’s Kathā-lakṣaṇam: 2–3)
“The kathā (discussion) of the wise is of three types: vāda, jalpa, and vitaṇḍā. The kathā between a guru and disciple, or, in an assembly of other sādhus as well, that is learned [alt., auspicious] and purely for the purpose of ascertaining tattva is [called] vāda. The kathā of sādhus, on the contrary, for the purpose of [attaining] renown and so forth is called jalpa. The kathā of sādhus, on the contrary, with others [i.e., those whose objective is not ascertaining tattva] wherein tattva is concealed is [called] vitaṇḍā.”