HINDUISM - Q & A Part 6

What are the sadacharas ?

Acharas which can produce good effects and which are already described in detail in many pages above are known as sadacharas. The beneficial effects means the effects for individuals, family, society and nation.

Can you give few examples for anacharas ?

Some say that Vedas should not be heard by women, Vedas should not be chanted by lower caste people, one should not touch the lower caste, should not visit a patient on a particular date. These are all anacharas if not properly described. Few more anachaas are hanging Chinese music instruments fingshui for vaastu based benefits and for solving family problems, blindly following ‘This week/month for you’ type of astrological predictions appearing in magazines, astrological prediction that Mr. X will become the prime minister, changing the position of windows or the position of kitchen, based on the advise of the so called vastu experts, etc are anacharas.

What are duracharas in Hindu dharma ? How to eradicate them ?

There are hundreds of sadacharas in Hindu dharma. Unfortunately there are few duracharas also. These create problems, if we do not analyze them properly, rationally, scientifically and logically. Almost all these duracharas crept into the our culture at a later period. Majority of them are only decades old, and some are centuries old and none is millennia old. None of them is the part of Vedic acharas. Duracharas are those customs and rituals which can create permanent negatives and bad effects for any one or more than one individuals(s)..

Can we give examples of some more duracharas ?

Cursing somebody, chanting mantras for negatives, sacrificing chicken, goat, camels and any other animals in the name of gods or demons, offering liquor as a part of religious rituals, misinterpreting the acharas for negatives .etc are duracharas.

Can we site examples on misinterpretation of a sadachara to durachara ?

One of the serious duracharas is dropping half burnt human dead body in the holy rivers like Ganga .Yet another durachara is the belief that if someone dies in dhanishta panchaka ( dhanishta to revati five days) there can be five more deaths in that house.

Are these duracharas superstitions ?

Remember, there are a number of good information in vaastu and astrology which should not be misinterpreted or misutilized. They create superstitions about silly things. One has to take the benefits from Vaastu and astrology instead of practicing the non-senses advised by quack astrologers and ‘vaastu experts’.

How to identify the truths and facts on these acharas ?

Analyze and classify all the acharas under Sadacharas, duracharas and anacharas. Select and use the best after refining them based on the scientific principles, rational thinking and logical analyses.

How to improve ourselves ?

Use your ears /eyes /tongue /thoughts /work positively to improve yourself. Acharas are only one among many methods for improving ourselves. According to Lord Krishna the aims and pathways for a better life is ( Bhagavath Geetha) Uddhareth atmanaatmaanam na aatmaanam avassadhayeth aathmaivahi athmanobhandhu: athmaiva ripuraathmana: The ultimate aim oflife is elevating/ raising/ uddharanam of ourselves and never belittling ourselves . We ourselves are our best friends and we ourselves are our worst enemies. (This upadesa has been given in the 6^th chapter 5^th line of Bhagavath Geetha). So let us elevate and improve ourselves, our family, our society and our motherland. Let us never denigrate ourselves, our family, our society, our culture and our motherland.

How to use science in our day to beliefs and acharas?

Lord Krishna has given another message for improving ourselves jnaanam vijnaana sahitham yath jnaathwaa mokshyase asubhaath. Every bit of spiritual knowledge and achara / vichara / sankalapa /… should be analyzed and practiced scientifically for avoiding the superstitions.

How much acharas are to be performed in our life?

Lord Krishna’s third message for improving ourselves is: swalpam apyasya dharmassya thraayathe mahato bhayaaath: Follow at least some dharmic values as acharas. It will protect us from many serious negatives in the life.

If others are not following the acharas how to influence them?

Whatever we are doing (or not doing) are factors connected with us. Nobody has given us the responsibility to examine / investigate what others are doing (or not doing). Worry not too much about others . If possible inform them the merits of practicing the acharas. Never try to argue and convince anyone.

Should we practice acharas the meaning is not known?

If you find practicing the acharas can produce good results, even if you do not know the meaning follow them with faith.

Can we follow the acharas without analyzing ?

Na hi kalyaana krith kaschith durgathim thaatha gacchathi: If you do good and follow good achara, the results will definitely be good.

If someone is ignorant about his dharma how to proceed ?

Inform them the facts and truths. Never argue nor try to win over him. You duty is over the moment you inform him the benefits and facts.

What is god?

The omnipotent omnipresent power controlling / guiding an atom and also the universe and also the power which is existing in each and every living being is the god.

What is the size, shape, colour, etc. of god?

There is no size, shape, or colour for god. It is for the sake of common man we make the pictures. Like we make a globe for teaching about the earth.

Does the god have the names?

The god does not have any name. For quick memory and recollection we call different names to different natural phenomenon. After all nature is the direct manifestation of god and that itself is god.

Why do we give so many names to god?

Each name has a meaning. The names convey a great meaning so we give the names. Lekshmi means glory and prosperity. Saraswati means the one whichis flowing. Parvathy means the torrential force or energy. Ganesa means the one which is controlling everything in group. Krishna means black and attracting. Rama means which gives you happiness. And so on

Can we see god with our naked eyes?

Unless you reach that level it is impossible to see even seeing through inner eyes. Many things which we cannot see are existing like atoms, electrons, air, billions and billions of galaxies.

Why to worship god?

It is not necessary if you feel it is not worth. To know that human beings have limitations and what all taking place in the world are almost beyond the control of human brain, we have to know that divine power. For knowing that divine power we should remember it frequently. For this purpose we are using the method worship.