Acharya Prashant addresses the question of whether it is acceptable to forgo death rituals by explaining that there are three forces at three levels that affect us. At two of these levels, bypassing rituals is perfectly fine. The first is the level of Prakriti (Nature/Existence). When a person's body is gone, existence does not bother with rituals. Prakriti has no need for them and does not care whether a body is burned or buried. From this natural or existential perspective, it is very much alright to not perform rituals. While birth, life, and death are significant events, the associated rituals are merely products of human thought and mean nothing to Prakriti. The second level where rituals are immaterial is the level of the Truth, or the Self (Atma). In this dimension, there is neither birth nor death. Since nothing has truly gone away and nobody has really died, rituals serve no purpose. The Truth alone is, and whatever seems to come and go is just an apparition that should not be cared for beyond a certain point. Therefore, at both the level of Prakriti and the level of the absolute Truth, rituals are inconsequential. The third level, which lies between the body (Prakriti) and the Self (Truth), is the level of the mind, and this is the one that must be managed. The mind is social and heavily influenced by society, which is where rituals seem to matter. If one decides to overrule social dictums by not performing rituals, the resulting rebellion and its consequences must be handled. Neither Prakriti nor the Truth will object to the absence of rituals, but the social mind will certainly raise eyebrows and create a commotion, which can in turn affect the individual's mind. Therefore, one must be prepared for the backlash from society. It is an individual decision, and the consequences must be borne individually. Before defying social norms, one must assess their own strength and determine how much the opinions of others matter to them. If one feels ready for an 'all-out defiance,' which is akin to a war, then they should proceed. However, for those who cannot handle such 'blows,' it is better not to engage in needless rebellions, as there are bigger battles to fight. The situation requires inner resolve and outward tact; the mind has to be managed.