In English
It is common knowledge that people undertake such activities like (bath), (offering oblations three times a day at dawn, noon and dusk), (penance), applying and observing austerities like abstaining from food and sustaining the body merely by breathing or eating leaves, roots and tubers etc., in the name of . But, this is not the correct meaning. By abstaining from certain worldly objects and performing certain austerities at the physical level, can one claim to have performed ? Can one develop self-control and self-confidence by such acts? Let us analyse the point in more detail. Taking a bath daily is considered to be one of the items of . But, the fish constantly lives in the water itself. Can we say it has performed the of bath? The serpent constantly breathes and survives by taking air as food. Does it mean it is performing ? The rats live in holes by the side of the hills. Can we say they are doing ? The goats eat leaves and survive on the leafy food alone. Can we say they are doing ? The dog happily rolls over in the dust and smears dust all over its body. Simply because it has applied dust all over its body, can we say it is doing ? Not by any stretch of imagination. It is not enough if simply the word "" is uttered. The real meaning of the word lies in purifying the mind, speech and body and achieving (unity of thought, word and deed). That is real . The sacrificial rites like and are performed only to attain such a . It is a commonly held misconception that the and are performed simply to acquire wealth and worldly objects or for enjoying happiness and comforts or for attaining (heaven). This is not true. The underlying meaning in performing these sacred rites is to pray for the welfare of the people of the entire world, in keeping with the prayer "" (May all the people in the world be happy!).