Sayami jee, sorry to enter into this private thread. But any 'hindu' who has really read the core 'hindu' religious texts, viz. the 'vedas', 'upanishads' and 'geeta' or knows something about them, will not believe in this kind of idea. Because the crux of 'hinduism' as per these texts is based on the theory of 'karma'. There is no question of being relieved of ones 'sins' or 'bad karma' just like that. कर््म जस््तो गर््यो फल त्यस््तै पाउँछ । कर्मको फल न भोगी जान्दैन । चाहे यो जुनी मा अथवा अर्को जुनीमा । पूजा गरे पनी, स्वस्थानी पढे पनी, चार धाम गये पनी केही हुने वाला छैन । So if one has really understood the hindu philosophy, he / she won't talk about getting rid of one's sins by worshipping or going to temple or anything like that. For details you can read the Vedas, or 'taittiriya upanishad / chhandogya upanishad etc' or simply 'geeta'. God forgiving all kinds of sinful acts is primarily a christian concept I think, where one goes for confession and asks for forgiveness. This is typically not characteristic of the core 'hindu' philosophy. You simply can't equate the 'brahminism' that is practiced today with 'hinduism'. Animal sacrifice is primarily a 'taantrik' practice which is less common in Indian hindus and is more commonly a cultural practice of Nepal. (Dhaami / Jhankree sacrificing animals is found even in animistic / buddhist ethnic groups of Nepal). If it was a universal hindu practice, then it would have been common all over India including South India. Regarding 'animal sacrifice' there is an interesting account in the 'Mahabhaarata' of a King who sacrificed a goat in his life time to please goddess 'durga'. In his next life (reincarnation) he was born as a 'goat' and he was killed by the 'goat' which he had sacrificed in his previous life, now born a butcher, ha ha. So, whatever is being preached today is not true 'hinduism'. And one can't criticise 'hinduism' by just superficially observing current 'brahminic' practices. Reading 'swasthaani' as a tradition is nice, and I enjoy it. But if someone reads it feeling that his misdeeds will be forgiven, then he / she is foolish and he / she needs to brush up his / her basics about 'hindu' principles.