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Three pramanas

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Pramana is evidence or proof. The term refers to sources of knowledge that are held to be valid. The three pramanas or the methods of acquiring knowledge can be broadly classified into the following three categories:

• Pratyaksha-pramanam (Direct sense perception)
• Anumana-pramanam (Theories based on evidence)
• Shabda-pramanam (Hearing from a bonafide authority)

Pratyaksha-pramanam

Pratyaksha-pramanam refers to the process of acquiring knowledge by direct sense perception. Certainly it can be taken as a means of observing the truth, but unfortunately sometimes such perception is also subjected to defects and thus mistakes.  Therefore pratyaksha alone is not a very good source of finding the truth.
Here are some prime examples of people who by their own small vision made statements; they would’ve wished that they could take back.

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
— Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
— Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM,1943

"Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You're crazy."
— Drillers who Edwin L. Drake tried to enlist to his project to drill for oil in 1859.

"Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?"
— H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.

"640K ought to be enough for anybody."
— Bill Gates, 1981


Anumana-pramanam

Anumana-pramanam refers to the process of acquiring knowledge by logic and argumentation. This is also not a fool-proof method as it may lead one to make downright absurd conclusions. A
sannyasi
  travelling by an auto late at night found that he had no change with him. The auto driver suggested to him that he could ask the liquor store owner for the change.  Seeing no other option before him, he went inside the shop and got the change to be given to the auto driver.  A wealthy businessman, who had the habit of walking after dinner, suddenly spotted the sannyasi coming out of a liquor shop and hurled abuses at him, without stopping to hear him out.  So, we find that we tend to make our judgements, especially if he be opposed to our presentation.
Shabda-pramanam

Shabda-pramanam refers to the process of acquiring knowledge by hearing from a bonafide authority. Out of three kinds of evidences, the shabda-pramanas, or the evidences received from the
Vedas,
  are accepted.

Knowledge,
Shruti
, is received by hearing. It is not experimental. We cannot understand that which is beyond our sense perception by experiment. We cannot understand who our father is by experimental knowledge. One cannot say, “Let me find out who my father is by experiment.” Our father had existed even before we existed, and it would not be possible to understand by experimental knowledge that this or that man is my father. The real authority is the mother; therefore Vedic knowledge has been likened to the mother.  Therefore our Vedic injunctions are very supreme evidence

For example, in India cow dung is accepted as very pure. So in one place of the Vedic injunction you will find that "Any stool of animal is impure." That's a fact. Everyone knows.  But in another place it is said, "Exception is given to the cow's stool, cow dung. That is pure." It is so pure that if you apply on some impure place, it becomes pure. That's a fact. In India, still, especially in villages, they mop the floor with cow dung, and it is so nice and so fresh.

It is the business of a  
guru
  to give light by knowledge. The guru has completely assimilated the Vedic essence of life. So for spiritual advancement especially we have to accept the Veda-pramana, or evidences given in Vedic literature.