Sometimes the simplest questions spark the most entertaining conversations. During a recent sermon, a devotee approached Aniruddhacharya Maharaj—popularly known as Pookie Baba—with a doubt many people quietly carry: Is it acceptable to light incense sticks with a lighter?
Pookie Baba, known for turning everyday queries into charming moments of wisdom, didn’t miss a beat. With his trademark humour, he responded by comparing the question to lighting something with “a volcano,” instantly drawing laughter from the crowd. When the devotee explained he meant lighting it the same way a cigarette is lit, Baba gently reminded him that a lighter simply does what it’s meant to do—ignite. He explained that a lighter’s purpose doesn’t change based on what it has previously lit, whether it’s a cigarette, a forest, or even a funerary fire.
The devotee’s concern about the lighter being “impure” after lighting a cigarette led to an even clearer answer. Baba reassured him that fire remains the same, no matter what it has touched, and cannot become impure simply because of its past use.
Here is the video:
https://x.com/nimopoornima/status/1996133809998495812
Pookie Baba’s down-to-earth approach, paired with his ability to make people laugh while addressing genuine doubts, is what has made him a favourite online. This candid exchange, captured on video, quickly spread across social media, reminding viewers that spirituality doesn’t always have to feel distant—it can also be warm, witty, and wonderfully human.
