Can so-called panditas understand bhakti by their knowledge and intelligence?

(From "Sampradaya: Asat-Sampradayas" - click to read more from it.
You can also read the previous page: Amrita-pravaha-bhasya (The Commentary that Flows with Nectar) by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura)

– Can so-called panditas understand bhakti by their knowledge and intelligence?

– We meet many so-called panditas who think that they have understood bhakti by their knowledge and intelligence. Some conclude that devotional service mixed with jnana is pure bhakti, and others conclude that devotional service mixed with karma is pure bhakti.

They are so proud that if they hear the teachings of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, they say, "Everyone can make their own conclusion. What is the need to take the conclusion of Caitanya-caritamrta?"

These people never come in touch with sad-dharma because they have no desire to know it. The result of performing their own concocted process of devotional service is that they can never relish pure devotion. (Tat-tat-karma-pravartana, Sajjana-toshani 11/6)

– Should we trust smarta-panditas?

– Once a smarta-pandita prescribed the candrayana-vrata and other harsh penances to a person who had asked him about the atonement for a particular sin. Hearing this, the person said, "O Bhattacharya Mahasaya, if I must perform a candrayana-vrata for killing that spider, then your son, who was also implicated in that act, must also perform that penance." Seeing this would be a great calamity for his son, the Bhattacharya Mahasaya turned two or 3 pages in his big book and said, "Aha! I made a mistake. Now I see. The books state that a dead spider is only a piece of rag. So you need not perform any atonement at all." The atheist smarta-panditas are like that. (Tattva-viveka 1/9/12)

Another revelation, Vaishnava view on Buddhism, Jainism, and Tantric philosophy. Check out the previous page too: Amrita-pravaha-bhasya (The Commentary that Flows with Nectar) by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. You will benefit from reading the whole work: Sampradaya: Asat-Sampradayas.

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Harih Om Tat Sat.