Ancient scriptures can shed much light on contemporary customs and traditions. The texts are accessible for free on the internet, and at an affordable price in print. Lay persons can easily turn to them for enlightenment. But the few who do, refer to them selectively, to bolster a particular point of view. Material is often quoted out of context.
One has to approach the texts with an open and inquiring mind. Everything is not clear-cut. Contradictory statements are made. From the 15th to the 18th century AC the priests in Navsari corresponded with their counterparts in Iran to lessen......