Consulting the authorities

Expressions researched:
"consulting the authorities" |"consult authorities"

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

Mahārāja Parīkṣit, as a perfect king, followed the principles by consulting the authorities, even up to the last days of his life

SB 1.19.12, Purport: Although the King had already decided to fast until death on the bank of the Ganges, he humbly expressed his decision to elicit the opinions of the great authorities present there. Any decision, however important, should be confirmed by some authority. That makes the matter perfect. This means that the monarchs who ruled the earth in those days were not irresponsible dictators. They scrupulously followed the authoritative decisions of the saints and sages in terms of Vedic injunction. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, as a perfect king, followed the principles by consulting the authorities, even up to the last days of his life.

SB Canto 3

The yoga system described in the books of Patañjali is authoritative, and the modern so-called yogīs who have manufactured their own ways, not consulting the authorities, are simply ludicrous

SB 3.21.12, Purport: The realization of the personal form of the Lord is the highest perfectional stage of yoga. In the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, where yoga practice is described, this realization of the personal form of the Lord is called the perfection of yoga. After practicing the sitting postures and other regulative principles of the system, one finally reaches the stage of samādhi—absorption in the Supreme. In the samādhi stage one can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His partial form as Paramātmā, or as He is. Samādhi is described in authoritative yoga scriptures, such as the Patañjali-sūtras, to be a transcendental pleasure. The yoga system described in the books of Patañjali is authoritative, and the modern so-called yogīs who have manufactured their own ways, not consulting the authorities, are simply ludicrous. The Patañjali yoga system is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Sometimes impersonalists pollute the Patañjali yoga system because they are monists. Patañjali describes that the soul is transcendentally pleased when he meets the Supersoul and sees Him. If the existence of the Supersoul and the individual is admitted, then the impersonalist theory of monism is nullified. Therefore some impersonalists and void philosophers twist the Patañjali system in their own way and pollute the whole yoga process.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

If there is any difficulty to understand, we may consult persons who are in the understanding. We may consult books. We may consult authorities

Lecture on BG 4.13-14 -- New York, August 1, 1966: If there is any difficulty to understand, we may consult persons who are in the understanding. We may consult books. We may consult authorities. That we can do because inquiry is always allowed. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā [Bg. 4.34]. The, I mean to say, the transcendental inquiry is never forbidden. A sincere person, one can make inquiry. But fact is this. If I cannot understand in my present condition, that is my misunderstanding. But the fact is this that Kṛṣṇa, when He comes, He is not any, like any one of us. He's transcendental. Neither any act which He does, it has got reaction. And He says, na me karma-phale spṛhā, "I have no desire for any fruitive activities."