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money. The rich of today are in effect conforming to the Vaisya’s
way, a life-view clouded by ignorance and apathy. This is reflected
in their forms of worship. They see the worship of God as a means to
material prosperity, and make the worship itself an exercise of wealth.
We find this in merchant and artisan castes like goldsmiths, braziers
and blacksmiths. If they get a little money they make their worship
extravagant and ostentatious. Even a person who goes astray because
of the money, will make a show of bhakti. Over a period of time it will
end up in devotion. When there is less money the style of worship will
be simpler. The Vaisya seeks out shrines of lesser deities, and more
accessible spiritual entities. The shrine of ‘Mutharamman’ stands out
among them.
The jiva or the life-force will then be involved in the karmic
influences of these lesser forms and be spiritually subservient to them.
This subordination will affect the progeny of these worshippers. Later
generations will then be born under evil constellations in accordance
with astral laws. They take birth marked for suffering by their birth
itself; through suffering they plunge (as an imagined escape) again
into deviant forms of worship and earn further suffering. In this
manner two to four generations go by; slowly the people in this line
lose their looks and even become ugly and misshapen. Such people
can be seen in any town. Likewise among Kshatriyas. The line slowly
gets ruined.

This is happening also among Brahmins. The reason is their
mingling of all manner of worship. I know households making daily
offerings to the mother goddess. From this worship they fall into
traditions like that of the Mutharamman shrine. That is why they
are losing their beauty and glory. But even now they could redeem
themselves.