महाभारत - वन - अनशन

न हि पापानि कर्माणि शुद्ध्यंत्यनशनादिभिः ।
सीदत्यनशनादेव मांसशोणितलेपनः ॥

- महाभारत, वन

na hi pApAni karmANi shudhyanti anashanAdibhiH ।
sIdanti anashanAdeva mAmsa shoNita lepanaH ॥

- mahAbhArata, vana

One's sins will not be washed away by rituals like fasting. Only thing that is achieved by fasting is wearing of the body made of flesh and blood.

- Mahabharata, Vana

वाक्यपदीय - अगम

न चागमादृते धर्मस्तर्केण व्यवतिष्ठते ।
ऋषीणामपि यज्ज्ञानं तदप्यागमपूर्वकम् ॥

- वाक्यपदीय

Rituals are an integral way of following dharma. One can not establish dharma in a society based solely on logic. Even the ancient sages who started these rituals knew about this. All their knowledge (about the universe) is hence not opposed to the rituals that they began.

- Vakyapadiya

सुभाषितसुधानिधि - तपः ज्ञान यज्ञ दान

तपः परं कृतयुगे त्रेतायां ज्ञानमुच्यते ।
द्वापरे यज्ञमेवाहुर्दानमेव कलौ युगे ॥

- सुभाषितसुधानिधि

Penance is the best way to live in the Kruta Yuga. In Treta yuga, attaining knowledge was the best way. In Dwapara Yuga, performing relegious rituals was the way to live. In Kali Yuga (present day) donating generously to the needy is the only right way to live.

- Subhashitasudhanidhi

दक्षस्मृति - कुतपस्विनः

लाभपूजानिमित्तं हि व्याख्यानं शिष्यसंग्रहः |
एते चान्ये च बहवः प्रपंचाः कुतपस्विनां ||

- दक्षस्मृति

There are a many rogues posing as mendicants. They sole aim to gather as many followers as possible so that it maximizes the profit they can make from rituals.

- Dakshasmriti