The Sanatan Faith — Page 12
12 SANĀTAN DHARM criticisms and instead turn away from Niyog. It is futile to claim that there are rewards and hidden benefits associated with Niyog. O dear ones! At the very least, shun this practice in these days of plague, lest this malady spreads ever more fiercely. Sadly, rather than being ashamed of this tradition of Niyog, the Āryas have grown in their outburst. A number of honourable Āryas visited me during the [Āryah] conference in Qadian and openly confessed that foul and abusive language was liberally used [against me]. One individual was singled out as being particularly foul-mouthed. Let it be clear, therefore, that religion is not the name of mindless criticism, entertaining an audience with mockery, or derisive mimicry. No religion can be established in this way. It would be more appropriate for those who are righteous to object or argue against the published tenets of a particular sect, and to refrain from criticising the contents of heavenly scriptures until they themselves are fully acquainted with the sect's teachings and their supporting arguments. Let us take the example of Niyog. Undoubtedly, human con- science cannot accept the shameful act of a woman having rela- tions with another man in the lifetime of her husband, not once, not twice, but for twelve or thirteen years until she gives birth to as many as eleven children! Every virtuous soul flees from this practice. In fact, there is nothing more shameful than this, and no decent man would ever tolerate seeing his wife in these despicable circumstances during his lifetime. Nevertheless, my Jama'at, which has been raised to establish taqwa [righteousness], must remember that they should not consider this to be a teaching of the Vedas. In my opinion, this