If rituals are performed imperfectly, maybe due to human error, or lack of detailed knowledge, do they still have effect?
If possible give quotes from scriptures.
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Yes its not possible to perform all rituals perfectly every time– Rakesh JoshiCommented Oct 20, 2018 at 10:53
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Actually there is another element to rituals without which they don't give effect - devotion/shraddha/bhakti to Bhagavan. This is both necessary, and also it can offset any minor mistakes or doshas of different facets of rituals (mantra / dravya / niyama - verses / instruments / rules). Rituals are not computer programs that fail if a single bit is wrong. But there are also not computer programs which work even if you're an atheist.– ramCommented Oct 20, 2018 at 19:52
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Yes definitely. The faith counts. However this doesn't mean we should do imperfectly, but even if done imperfectly with faith it really counts. Lord Krishna addresses this question in the Gita. In Gita 18.48, we find,
Translation: Every endeavor is covered by some fault, just as fire is covered by smoke. Therefore one should not give up the work born of his nature, O son of Kuntī, even if such work is full of fault.
In his commentary, Srila Prabhupada says, In conditioned life, all work is contaminated by the material modes of nature.
The following verses say that by performing one's duty as per Varna, one moves along the path to eventually becoming a Brahma-Bhutah, which is a liberated state of existence.
