Mahaajano Yena Gatah Sa Panthaah

महाजनो येन गत: स पन्था:
(The Way Treaded by a Great Soul is The Path)

Vedas are sacred and not to be doubted or found fault or defect with. They give the very words heard from the Divine Source. But when a Sage utters something at variance with the Vedas, his words are to be accepted as more authentic. Seers wrote down what they heard. Subsequently, they practised and found they are true and correct. But when a Sage speaks it is from personal experience and not based on book-knowledge.

The way treaded by a Sage is A Path in its own right. He lives the way He preaches. Being one with God, His Path can never be doubted or looked down upon. Buddha is called Tathaagata i.e. He trod the path He preached.

In the Geetaa, the Lord says - yadyadaacharati shreShThaha lokastadanuvartate यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठ: लोकस्तदनुवर्तते. Men follow the path shown by the great souls. It is incumbent upon leaders, especially godmen, to lead on the right path and not push followers down the hill.

Have faith in your Guru and do not doubt or experiment with his teaching.

The seemingly wrong statements or words from the greats are to be seen in proper perspective. They are termed Aarsheya (Rushi as the root).

In literature also they say - mahaakaveenam saadhu. "Mistakes" done by great poets are to be viewed in proper perspective. Kalidasa has made three "mistakes." In one case he chose to use the word -trayambaka त्रयम्बक. Gramatically wrong. त्र्यैम्बक Tryaimbaka is the correct word. It is not that there was no other word to fit in to suit the maatraa (maatraa in poetry is taala in music). Trilochana would have fitted well. Perhaps the poet opted for trayambaka as it is used in the Mrutyunjaya Mantra -an Aarsheya.