Accept the path of great devotees, not your own logic or conflicting scriptures, for reaching the Absolute Truth.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Lecture — April 25, 1969, Boston 690425LE-BOSTON [28:45 Minutes] Lecture_690425LE-BOSTON Prabhupāda: When I was in Buffalo, my last lecture was at the Buffalo University college. So I began a series of lecture for the young boys and girls. This series of lecture is not manufactured by me. Our process is not manufacturing.
The Vedic process is not personal opinion. Our process is simply to carry the transcendental message to the people. Our system is so nice that we haven't got to manufacture daily a new thesis. The difficulty of modern age is... Not modern age; it is also old system, because in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we find one verse which says, tarko apratiṣṭhaḥ [Cc. Madhya 25.57, Mahābhārata, Vana-parva 313.117] [“’Dry arguments are inconclusive. A great personality whose opinion does not differ from others is not considered a great sage. Simply by studying the Vedas, which are variegated, one cannot come to the right path by which religious principles are understood. The solid truth of religious principles is hidden in the heart of an unadulterated, self-realized person. Consequently, as the śāstras confirm, one should accept whatever progressive path the mahājanas advocate.’] "Simple arguments and logic will not carry you to the Absolute Truth." Tarkaḥ. Tarkaḥ means arguments. You may be very good logician, you can argue very nicely, but another logician may come and defeat you. That is going on.
New philosopher, new logician, new thinker means he defeats his previous thinkers, logicians, and philosophers, and becomes prominent. That is the materialistic way of gaining name, fame and popularity. But our process is different. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ.
We accept that simply by arguments and logic, it is not possible to approach the Absolute Truth. Absolute Truth is not subjected to our deficient logic and argument. So tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā [Cc. Madhya 25.57, Mahābhārata, Vana-parva 313.117]. If somebody says that "Well, argument and logic is not the way to approach the Absolute Truth.
Then let us take scriptures, the authority of the scriptures," that is also very nice. In every human society there is some sort of scripture. Just like in your country there is Bible or any other scripture. We have got Vedas. The Muhammadans, they have got Korans.
They can help also, because that is also authority. But you will find that one scripture is differing from the other scripture in some details. Of course, on the average there is no difference. Just like Bible preaches, Lord Jesus Christ preaches love of God, we are also preaching the same thing, love of God.
But our process is little different. That's all. That process may be different according to time, circumstances, people. That is natural. Therefore, for a neophyte, simply by consulting scriptures, he will not be able to reach to the absolute goal.