Acharya Prashant responds to a question about whether rituals like worship and sacrificial fires (yagya) can aid in self-realization. He begins by stating that one's fundamental problem must be at the center of all their activities. If a person is troubled, their primary duty (swadharma) is to address that trouble. Engaging in any other activity, including rituals, without this clarity is unrighteousness (adharma) and something that should not be done (akartavya). Before undertaking any action, one must ask if it will resolve their problem. The speaker explains that people often avoid this crucial question because they have never clearly acknowledged their real problem. Instead of pinpointing it, they keep it vague and nebulous. This ambiguity allows them to deceive themselves into thinking that any random activity might be helping with some undefined issue. He likens this to a person with a secret ailment visiting a multi-specialty hospital without knowing their specific illness or what each department specializes in; they wander aimlessly, trying everything, which is ultimately futile. People perform rituals without understanding what the ritual is for or what their own problem is. Acharya Prashant criticizes the mechanical and blind imitation of rituals, often dictated by priests, without any understanding of their meaning. He argues that this is precisely why the world is becoming grossly irreligious; a new generation sees no meaning in these acts and rejects them entirely. He clarifies that everything, including rituals, can be successful if one knows its purpose and how to use it. However, people neither know the meaning of meditation, yagya, worship, or chanting, nor do they accept their own real problems. He explains that the true meaning of 'yagya' is symbolic. It represents the offering of the self (the ego) into the fire of truth, which then elevates one's consciousness. It is not merely about burning wood to purify the air. Religion, he concludes, is for awakening and understanding, not for blind imitation. When practiced without understanding, religion becomes the greatest bondage rather than a path to liberation. The entire life should be a 'yagya,' where the offering is of the self.