Science of evidence

To prove a theory of concept one needs to provide evidence. These evidence are called praman (Devanagari: प्रमाण ISO15919: pramāṇa).

There are three primary ways of proving a theory or concept.

1. Perceptual evidence called pratyaksh praman
2. Inferential evidence called anuman praman
3. Scriptural evidence called shabd praman

The first two are useful in the material world. But in the spiritual realm only shabd praman is the evidence.

Pratyaksh praman 

Pratyaksh praman (Devanagari: प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाण ISO15919: pratyakṣa pramāṇa) is perceptual evidence means it can be seen, heard, touched, tasted, smelt with our senses.

In addition, there are things that cannot be perceived by our senses.

That is why perceptual evidence is the weakest form of evidence yet individuals perceive it as the strongest form of evidence. Don’t take offense, instead ponder on the following before forming your own opinion.
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1. Many things cannot be perceived by our senses such as feelings. How can love, hatred or any other sentiment be proven by matters of gyandendriyan?

2. Gyandendriyan are not perfect. Our eyes see the sky is blue, whereas the sky has no color. An empty space is called sky.

3. Senses can work only with the association of the mind and the mind has its faults. Sometimes, it perceives things according to its own preconceived notion about the thing or person. Psychiatrists term it as a "confirmation bias".
4. Along with the mind, the senses are also limited in their capabilities e.g. eyes cannot perceive ultraviolet or infrared spectrum of light. Similarly, ears can perceive a limited range of frequencies and that too only when the source of the sound is within audible range.

5. If the mind is preoccupied then senses cannot grasp any data even if it is laid out in front of them. In your own home you might have observed that when children are busy playing they can’t hear their mom calling them for a meal.

A couple of centuries ago an artist was busy painting a picture in his shop in Jagannath Puri. Right outside his shop the huge annual procession called Jagannath rath-yatra passed by. The procession had thousands of people playing various musical instruments. Yet his ears did not perceive the tumult.

Swami Ram Krishna Paramhans wanted to participate in the Rath yatra but reached there a little late. Swami Ramakrishna Paramhansa, asked the artist, “Has the Rath-Yatra already passed by?”

The artist said, “so far the Rath-yatra has not crossed this place”.

Others around him admonished him for lying to a great saint, but the artist was insistent that he did not see any procession pass by. Swami Ram Krishna Paramahan then went into a meditative state and saw that the artist was indeed speaking the truth. He was so engrossed in his art that he had failed to notice the rath yatra pass by from in-front of his shop.​
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So, perceptual evidence does not offer perfect evidence in all situations, yet it speaks to us the loudest.

Anumana pramana 

anumana pramana (Devanagari: अनुमान प्रमाण ISO15919: anumāna pramāṇa) is the second form of evidence. It is "inferential" evidence.

One can infer things using logic. When one knows the relationship between the things then seeing one thing they can draw an inference; even though the second situation cannot be directly perceived.

For example, most of us have seen smoke from a bonfire.

यत्र यत्र धूमस्तत्रतत्राग्निः |
yatra yatra dhūmastatratatrāgniḥ |

“Wherever there is smoke, fire is also there”.

So, when smoke is seen atop a mountain we know there is a fire, even if the fire is not visible.

Shabd praman

Shabd praman (Devanagari: शब्द प्रमाण ISO15919: śabda pramāṇa) is Scriptural evidence.

Sensory perception and inferential logic are incapable of conclusively proving everything. Governments use “other people's words” as evidence. Presidential advisors research different aspects and president consults with them to make a decision. The whole public media is based on someone going somewhere and then telling about what they see to others. Through those people you learn about various this without having any first hand experience of those those.

Scriptures provide irrefutable evidence of spiritual truths. Vedas are the irrefutable evidence of spiritual truths.

There are other Vedic scriptures as well. These scriptures are produced by those trikaaldarshi God realized sages and seers who could see the past, present and future. They have documented the treasure of their findings which is based on personal experience and solid and irrefutable research.

So this is the strongest form of evidence and in the spiritual realm, this is the ONLY acceptable form of evidence.

LEARN MORE

• Why cite verses from so many scriptures?