In a highly personalised Religion, sometimes misconceptions creep in.
Though Hinduism insists that one has to study the Vedas, the Scripture of Hindus, people often do not do so, confused as they are with the dictum that Guru should be obeyed.
The problem is that Guru is different from Acharya, Upadhyaya.
For Details read my article Guru Acharya Upadhyaya.
Guru is one who instinctively understands your spiritual needs and guides and their instructions will never run contrary to Vedas, Sruthi.
In such cases where Gurus instructions are at variance with Vedas, Veda should be followed.
On the other hand, Upadhyayas and Acharyas do not have as nuch the authority as the Guru.
As such their instructions, if they run counter to Vedas are to be ignored.
Over a period of years people have not studied Vedas nor many know about the Smritis.
Smriti is a code of conduct which is followed over a period of Time.
Even Smritis if they run contrary to Vedas, are to ignored.
For Vaidikas, Vedas are the Sole Authority.
Many of us follow what purohit says without bothering to check either Sruthi or Smriti.
Result is that many irrelevant practices not found in Vedas , Smritis are followed.
I have been writing on some of these practices which do more harm to Hinduism than Atheists.
I have received the following query on Ashada Maasa, Adi in Tamil.
‘Dear Sir Good Morning. I have been reading your Blog since long time and the information u have been sharing is really incredible. Today, I have a question where I am not getting any exact answers ..hope u can clarify it for me.
This is Regarding the AAshada Masam as I got newly married, the customs followed during this month was implied on me as well but the questions unanswered or partially answered.
1. Why do Mother-In Law and Daughter inlaw should not walk in the same main door or stay together.
2. Why Husband and wife should not stay together.
3. Incase if the girl gets conceived during the aashada maasam will there be a negative effect on the child or is there any negetive effect on the mother during delivery time or so.’
My answer.
All these points have no sanctions by Sruthi or Smriti and hence may be ignored.
These seem to have crept in as Mores/ practices in Communities.
There is also an effort to justify the separation of couples in Aashada, arguing that if the couple were to be together and if the woman conceives in Aashada, she would deliver in Summer .
This is effort to justify something which is not needed.
The premises for the practice is hypothetical.
And Hinduism does not intrude in to private affairs unnecessarily.
And wherever it needs to intervene in personal Life it comes out clearly with no ambiguities.
So one need not try to promote Hinduism by saying things which Hinduism does not.
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