svataḥ-pramāṇa veda — pramāṇa-śiromaṇi
lakṣaṇā karile svataḥ-pramāṇatā-hāni
svataḥ-pramāṇa - self-evident; veda - the Vedic literatures; pramāṇa - evidence; śiromaṇi - topmost; lakṣaṇā - interpretation; karile - doing; svataḥ-pramāṇatā - self-evidence; hāni - lost.
“The self-evident Vedic literatures are the highest evidence of all, but if these literatures are interpreted, their self-evident nature is lost.
We quote Vedic evidence to support our statements, but if we interpret it according to our own judgment, the authority of the Vedic literature is rendered imperfect or useless. In other words, by interpreting the Vedic version one minimizes the value of Vedic evidence. When one quotes from Vedic literature, it is understood that the quotations are authoritative. How can one bring the authority under his own control? That is a case of principiis obsta.
