Agnihotra

H.H. Sri Swami Sivananda:

The Pitris remain in heaven, Pitri Loka or Chandra Loka, for a very long period. The enjoyments in heaven and the peace of the departed soul are enhanced by the performance of the Shraddha ceremony. Likewise the sufferings of the departed soul in worlds other than heaven are mitigated by the performance of the Shraddha ceremony by his sons. Thus, in both cases, the performance of Shraddha is a great help.
And even if the individual takes another birth immediately after his death, as happens in rare cases, the performance of Shraddha adds to his happiness in his new birth. So, it is the imperative duty of everybody to perform the Shraddha ceremony for his parents and forefathers. The Shraddha ceremony should be performed with great Shraddha or faith as long as you live. Faith is the main support for religion.
The various religious observances imposed upon mankind by the Shastras tend to purify the ignorant man. The Shraddha ceremony, being one of the obligatory duties as per the injunctions of the scriptures, also tends to purify the mind. Besides this, the forefathers are also pleased and their good wishes and blessings tend to our material and spiritual growth.

Swami Sivananda antwortet:

Wenn wir kein Glauben in Gott haben, werden wir erneut Geburt nehmen in dieser Welt und beachtliches Leid durchleben.

Der Unwissende, Glaubenslose, das zweifelhafte Selbst geht in die Zerstörung. Er kann nicht das kleinste Glück geniessen.  Weder diese Welt noch das Jenseits ist für ein zweifelndes Selbst.

Jene die kein Glauben in Gott haben, wissen nicht was Recht und Unrecht ist. Sie haben die Kraft der Unterscheidung verloren. Sie sprechen nicht die Wahrheit, sind Stolz und Egoistisch. Sie sind excessiver Gier, Wut und Lust ausgeliefert. Auf illegale Art und Weise häufen Sie Geld an. Sie werden Menschen dämonischer Natur. Sie begehen verschiedene grausame Verbrechen. Sie haben keine Ideale für ihr Leben. Sie werden in dämonische Mutterleibe geworfen. Sie sinken in die tiefsten Tiefen, irrgeführt Geburt auf Geburt.

QUESTION: What is the harm in not believing in God’s existence ?
ANSWER: If we have no faith in God, we will be born again in this world and will undergo considerable miseries. The ignorant, faithless doubting self goes to destruction. He cannot enjoy the least happiness. Neither this world nor that beyond is there for the doubting self. Those who have no faith in God do not know what is right and what is wrong. They have lost the power of discrimination. They are untruthful, proud and egoistic. They are given to excessive greed, wrath and lust. They hoard up money by unlawful means. They become men of demoniacal nature. They commit various sorts of atrocious crimes. They have no ideals for their lives. They are thrown into demoniacal wombs. They sink into the lowest depths, deluded birth after birth.