106
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 7, Ch. 13]
have learned by hearing from authorities. I cannot remain silent in this regard, for a personality like you is just fit to be spoken to by one who desires self-purification.
PURPORT
A saintly person doesn't wish to speak to anyone and everyone, and he is therefore grave and silent. Generally a common man does not need to be advised. Unless one is prepared to take instructions, it is said that a saintly person should not address him, although sometimes, because of great kindness, a saintly person speaks to ordinary men. As for Prahlāda Mahārāja, however, since he was not a common, ordinary man, whatever questions he posed would have to be answered, even by a great and exalted personality. Therefore the saintly  brāhmaṇa  did not remain silent, but began to answer. These answers, however, were not concocted by him. This is indicated by the words  yathā-śrutam , meaning "as I have heard from the authorities." In the  paramparā  system, when the questions are bona fide the answers are bona fide. No one should attempt to create or manufacture answers. One must refer to the  śāstras  and give answers according to Vedic understanding. The words  yathā-śrutam  refer to Vedic knowledge. The  Vedas  are known as  śruti  because this knowledge is received from authorities. The statements of the  Vedas  are known as  śruti-pramāṇa . One should quote evidence from the  śruti —the  Vedas  or Vedic literature—and then one's statements will be correct. Otherwise one's words will proceed from mental concoction.
TEXT 24
तृष्णया मववाहिन्या योग्यैः कामैरपूर्यया । कर्माणि कार्यमाणोऽहं नानायोनिषु योजितः ॥२४॥
tṛṣṇayā bhava-vāhinyā   yogyaiḥ kāmair apūryayā   karmāṇi kāryamāṇo 'ham   nānā-yoniṣu yojitaḥ
tṛṣṇayā —because of material desires;  bhava-vāhinyā —under the sway of the material laws of nature;  yogyaiḥ —as it is befitting;