Exaggeration is an integral part of some literature, often accompanied by rich imagination. However, when scholars write research articles, they must present facts with accuracy. I recently came across an article by Miss Uma Kalyani titled “Vedangal Thozha Nindra Nadhan” in the book Appar Devarathil Vedangal (Vedas in Appar’s Devaram), edited by K.C. Lakshminarayan and published by L.K.M. Publications, Chennai, in 2008. After discussing the importance of Homas in Vedic tradition, the author makes the following claim:
“Even today, one can observe the results of such Homas. During the Bhopal gas tragedy, when millions died, one home was not affected because they performed Homa every day. The smoke from the Homa prevented the poisonous gas from affecting that family.” (This is a summary rather than a direct translation of the long Tamil text.)
Although the death of even a single person is a tragedy, the author inaccurately states that “MILLIONS” died in the Bhopal gas tragedy and that a single house, where Vedic Homa was performed, was spared. In reality, many homes beyond the reach of the poisonous gas were unaffected. If the author wishes to assert that a particular house was “saved” by Homa smoke, she should provide the specific address and details about its location.
My criticism is not directed at the claim that Homa smoke can protect against poison or pollution, but rather at the use of false accounts to support a particular viewpoint without presenting accurate facts or authentic proof. It is also concerning that the editor, a prominent writer for newspapers and magazines, failed to notice this mistake. I still wonder how many million people were killed in Bhopal tragedy?
Dayanand Bharati
Gurukulam, June 17, 2010
Leave a Reply