The example of Bhopal

Those considered educated used to say that it is only people who believe in sasthras are, out of blind faith, thinking that the cow dung purifies. But now the purifying quality of cow dung has been accepted scientifically. The scientists of atheistic Russia have conducted experiments and found out that the smoke emitted by the burning cow dung cake acts as a disinfectant and anti-pollutant.

Recently we saw something wonderful reported in the papers. (This was said in 1984)
In the catastrophic gas leakage accident that occurred in Bhopal, people in the entire town were affected in various ways and many people died. The news report says that in a particular home which was full of smoke generated by the performance of Agnihothram, no harm was caused.

But in this, it will not be correct to give the entire credit to the cow dung only. Although the dung is a good anti-pollutant which can counter poison, greater importance here is only to the Agnihothram performed with manthras and using the cow dung cake. More than the power of the dung, it is the manthra which must have nullified the effect of the poisonous gas. But when a manthra is not recited as a japa, but is connected with the performance of yajna, the materials used in the yajna according to sasthras add to the power of the manthras and give full benefit. Looked at this way, it would mean that the cow dung also had a share in countering the effect of the poisonous gas.

The power of purification which the dung has when used in yajnas also protects the manthras and increases their potency. It is laid down that only the cow dung is to be used as a purifying agent in yajnas and not any other material.