There are many bogus ideologies which are copied from others and spread to others. Hardly anyone questions the reasoning or logic behind certain rituals, practices, and beliefs.

Bogus Ideology 1 – The dust off the feet of a guru purifies.

This is complete nonsense. The dust off the feet of a guru or a donkey, is 100% the same. Dust does not purify anyone. The dust can best be used to apply to dirty dishes as cleaning powder to help get the grease and dirt off the dishes.

The dust off the feet of a guru should make one think of his instructions and by following the instructions, a person can become purified. Unfortunately, most people will put the dust off the feet of a guru on their head and think they have become purified. They will completely ignore his instructions.

Bogus Ideology 2 – The leftovers of a guru purifies. 

This is complete nonsense. The leftovers of anyone are full of their germs. If they are diseased, the eater of the leftovers will also catch the diseases. If someone has Corona, would anyone want to eat their leftovers? Why not? Because the eater will also catch the Corona and may die.

The leftovers of anyone are only suitable for giving to dogs or put in trash. They must never be given even to cows.

Guru prasad is not the leftovers from the Guru’s plate after he has eaten. Guru prasad is food that the Guru places onto another plate from his plate, before he starts to eat.

The purpose of eating Guru prasad is that the eater will become mentally surrendered to the guru and thus will follow his instructions and make the right decisions in life and advance in spirituality. 

Another purpose of eating food that is placed on the plate of a pious person, is that the food particles have certain benefits infused in them due to the good karma of the pious person. If others also eat the same food particles, then they will also benefit from it. But the food must be placed by the pious person on a separate plate before he starts to eat from the plate. After he starts to eat, the food is contaminated and should be given to dogs or trashed. One should try not to waste food, only put on your plate, the amount of food that you can finish.

Once the Guru starts to eat from the plate, it becomes contaminated with his germs and should not be eaten by anyone except dogs. However, there is one exception to this. The husband is the Guru for the wife based on Vedic culture and she can eat the leftovers from the husband’s plate. This is a Vedic teaching and the reason for this is that the wife will become physically and mentally surrendered to the husband, and thus there will be fewer arguments between the two and their relationship will be successful. A wife must never eat the leftovers of anyone except the husband.

It is very unfortunate that many Gurus in ignorance give people food from their plate after they have eaten from it. They call the contaminated food, Guru prasad. This is not a Vedic teaching, but it has become a general standard due to ignorance. 

Bogus Ideology 3 – The water from the feet of a guru purifies.

This is complete nonsense. The water that is used to wash the feet of anyone is filthy and has no benefits.

By drinking the water which has been used to wash the feet of a pious person, if the drinker follows his instructions and become humbler to everyone. Then they have become purified. One should develop a humble mentality towards everyone by drinking the water. So it’s a mental attitude that one should change by drinking the water, but unfortunately most people drink the water and completely ignore the instructions from the gurus or pious person, and they never become humble or respectful to everyone. They basically never change for the better. Many gurus take advantage of the ignorance in people by letting them wash their feet and encourage drinking it so they can come under their control. There are cases where female followers are lured into sex or abused by gurus.

Bogus Ideology 4 – The cloth worn by a guru purifies.

This is complete nonsense. The clothing worn by anyone has their sweat on it and it does not purify anyone by touching it or wearing it. The worn clothing can only benefit someone if it makes the person think of the guru’s good teachings and become humbler and respectful to everyone. So, it’s a mental attitude change that can benefit a person, and not the material clothing.

Unfortunately, many gurus, take advantage of the ignorance in people by wearing some clothing for a few seconds and then give it as parsadam to their followers, who will wear it thinking they have become purified. But in reality, there is no good change in their behavior with others. They just become illusioned by the gurus.

Conclusion

One can become purified by following the instructions from genuine gurus and even from ordinary people. There are many people in jeans and t-shirt who have more purity than some big gurus. 

Instead of putting any dust on the head, or eating guru prasad, or drinking water which was used to wash the feet of a pious person or wearing any used clothing. If one can simply follow the below verse from the Bhagavad-Gita, they can become purified by following the purest person, Lord Krishna.

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Fearlessness; purification of one’s existence; cultivation of spiritual knowledge; charity; self-control; performance of sacrifice; study of the Vedas; austerity; simplicity; nonviolence; truthfulness; freedom from anger; renunciation; tranquillity; aversion to faultfinding; compassion for all living entities; freedom from covetousness; gentleness; modesty; steady determination; vigor; forgiveness; fortitude; cleanliness; and freedom from envy and from the passion for honor – these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 16.1-3)