The Purification of the Soul

”Every category of scriptural knowledge, sacrifices, oblations, fasting vows and every kind of purificatory activities the Vedas had described in the past, present and future they are meant for the conditioned souls who are bound by the illusory energy, maya, so they can please the Supreme Lord who created this world.”

chandamsi yajnah kratavo vratani
bhutam bhavyam yac ca veda vadanti
asman mayi srjate visvam etat tasmims
canyo mayaya sanniruddhal

PURPORT BY SRI KRSNA BALARAM SWAMIJI

In the Vedic scriptures nothing is speculated. Everything is realized and spoken by the Supreme Lord. If the creator of this universe says something about the universe then that knowledge should be understood to be perfect. God is the creator of this universe and His statements about the purpose of creating the universe and what to do while living in it is stated in the ancient Vedic scriptures. The scriptures state that the living entity, before contacting this world was pure and perfect but after enjoying this creation the soul became contaminated. To purify the soul the scriptures state spiritual processes such as Vedic prayers, fire sacrifices, worshipping of the Lord, chanting His holy names, performing oblations, fasting on holy days like on Ekadasis, or any other spiritual vows that are mentioned in the Vedic scriptures for the purification of the soul. It is the sin and not the sinner that is condemned in the Vedas that is why spiritual processes are described to purify the sinner. There are many categories of sins and a scripturally authentic Spiritual Master knows how to purify them all.

[Svetasvatara Upanisad, 4.9, KBS0071]