Exploring the Divide: Astikas and Nastikas in Contemporary Society

There have always been two categories of people in this land – The Astikas, who have firm faith in God and in Dharma, and the other being Nastikas, who have no such faith and lead a life purely driven by the pursuit of enjoyment.

We even have instances from the times of Sri Rama, where Nastikas disturbed acts of Dharma. Demons such as Subaahu and Mareecha had scant regard for #Dharma and caused havoc when sages such as #Vishwamitra performed Yagas. Did they gain anything out of disturbing the performance of Yagas? They gained nothing out of it and were worse than people who trouble others for their own gains.

When such was the case even in the time of Sri Rama, there need be no surprise that people belonging to both these categories exist today. Whenever acts of Dharma have been performed, there has always been a set of people that state that all such acts are pointless. There have always been people who have questioned why various offerings are being made into the sacrificial fire.

We, as Astikas, have firm faith in the Shrutis (Vedas), Smritis and Puranas and act in accordance to the Dharma expounded therein. We have always been following what our Shastras state. We do not perform a Yaga with the feeling of putting these objects into the fire. We perform the Yaga with the pure feeling of performing a humble offering to the Lord who is the Support of the entire Universe.

It is said that just as the Sun draws water from the earth in summer and returns it manifold by causing rain – सहस्रगुणमुत्स्रष्टुमादत्ते हि रसं रविः – so too do the performance of such Yagas please the Lord and bring about manifold benefit to one and all. There need be no doubt that the Lord gets pleased by Dharmic acts. source: sringeri.net