Hindu Rituals Are NOT for Gods
“Uday, your Hinduism propagates ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ (I am God) and, Tatvamasi (That you are), I am Divine, etc, then why would you perform rituals for the sake of God?,” a question from John Tan, my ex-colleague in Hong Kong.
“Good question. Sanatana Dharma is founded upon truth, where as religions are founded upon beliefs. Belief is an optional part of Hinduism. Hindu ancestors focus on Dharma and Karma, not God.”
“But that doesn’t answer my question,” he said.
“I am coming to that. Hindu rituals (Acharas) are NOT done for the sake of God or to reach heaven! God doesn’t need anything from us. There is NO external heaven and hell. We are doing all rituals for ourselves, family, and society. However, for ordinary people like me, who are believers, these rituals are packed in God’s name. So that we perform it either to please God or seek blessings…”
“So, you mean to say, fundamentally rituals are NOT for God…”
“Acharas are performed for your Ayur-Arogya-Soukhya (longevity, health, and happiness). It should have at least a few or all of these eight benefits: 1. Psychological, 2. Physiological, 3. Family bondage, 4. Social bondage, 5. Community health, 6. National Integration, 7.Material benefits and 8. Environmental Protection and sustainable healthy living.”
“Oh, really? Uday, can you explain the healthy aspects first?”
“Take for instance, ‘Ganapathy Homam’ (Gana Havan) in which we burn three parts of coconuts in clay platform – the fibrous part of the husk (coir) produces moderate sulfur oxides (Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and sulfur trioxide (SO3)), the coconut Shell, when burned produce phenol and when you burn coconut with ghee, it produces pyrazine (a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound). As you know these chemicals can prevent viruses, bacteria, and germs… It is Antimicrobial. The ritual of burning medicinal plants is to produce ‘purifying’ smoke.”
“That’s a great wow! I have read that they use a lot of other materials in such rituals…”
(Excerpts from MANTRAS and RITUALS: THE LOGIC OF HINDU SCIENCE. For further reading: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B093Z2M52M ) You may visit Amazon site of your respective country and search “B093Z2M52M”
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