When you do not discriminate the process and purpose of every act, and go ahead doing them with no understanding, you reduce them to a funny fossilized routine. Once even Prahlada observed, “Since it is difficult to destroy egotism, people take the easier option to offer dumb animals at the altar. Animal sacrifice is the manifestation of the quality of inertia (tamo guna); it is the path of bondage. Sacrifice of the animal of egotism is the purest sacrifice (satwic yajna) on the Godward path of liberation.” Thus the highest goal (paramaartha) of the past is turned into the fool’s goal (paaramaartha) of these days! Similarly every one of the ancient practices, which were once full of meaning has grown wild beyond recognition. It is now impossible to pluck the tree by the roots and plant a new one. So the existing tree must be trimmed and trained to grow straight. Always remember the highest goal and never dilute it into the lowest.

- Dharma Vahini, Ch 1.