You have to accept anything from the authorized source. So according to Vedic civilization, all knowledge is received from the Vedas, perfect authorized source. Śruti-pramāṇa, evidence from the śruti, from the Vedas, that is perfect. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, if you want to establish something you have to quote the section or the injunction from the Vedas. Then it is perfect. In learned circle you cannot say anything hodgepodge. That will not be accepted. If you support your statement from the evidence of the Vedas, then you are accepted as authority. Therefore our principle is . . . not only our; this is the Vedic principle. You'll find Caitanya Mahāprabhu giving instruction to Sanātana Gosvāmī, to Rūpa Gosvāmī, or He was talking with Rāmānanda Rāya—in Caitanya-caritāmṛta you'll find—and quoting support from the Vedas. Although Caitanya Mahāprabhu is God Himself, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa-Caitanya, but He is not, what is called, autocratic or, what is called, dictator. No. You'll never find Him. Whatever He'll say, immediately He is supported by Vedic evidence. He can say anything. He can manufacture anything. No, that He does not do. He does not violate the principle.
In the Bhagavad-gītā also . . . Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He's also quoting from Vedas. He does not say, "I say." He says, but He says on the Vedic authority. He doesn't say anything superfluous. No. Brahma-sūtra-padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaiḥ (BG 13.5). He said,
- yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya
- vartate kāma-kārataḥ
- na sa siddhim avāpnoti
- na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim
- (BG 16.23)
He says śāstra, evidence, Vedic evidence, must be accepted. The Vedic evidence is very chronologized in the Vedānta-sūtra. He especially mentioned brahma-sūtra-padaiḥ.