obeisances

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> > I know of a female devotee who says that Prabhupada personally told her to

> > offer full dandavats.

> >

> > Also, in Bhagavatam, Aditi is described as offering full dandavats to

> > Vishnu.

> >

> > I suspect, therefore, that this "prohibition" which is fairly recent in

> > ISKCON, is not based on either sastra or Prabhupada's instruction.

> >

> > Your servant, Urmila devi dasi

>

> one pramana is lokika (public opinion).

>

> Vedicly speaking, I've heard that women are not supposed to allow their

> breasts to touch the earth, the reason given is that this is offensive to

> Bhumi devi.

 

Sorry I'm commenting so late on this but circumstances were such with traveling

and festivals I had no time.

 

I have personally never witnessed any respectably woman in India pay dandavats.

Reference: Text PAMHO:4875990 by Bhakti Visrambha Madhava Swami

 

Of course we see many uneducated villagers rolling on the ground in Mayapur in

what is considered by some to be sahajiya.

 

While in Mayapur, I discussed this topic with Atma Tattva Prabhu who has

promised to send me the exact verse from Padma Purana if he remembers my email

address. Anyway in Padma Purana there is a section where Bhumi devi (Mother

Earth) discusses this point. She is also a woman and she says that the womb and

breasts of women are sacred being the places where children are born and

nourished. In the same way that we never throw any shastra or sacred article on

the dirt, these sacred places should also not touch the dirt. She, therefore,

says that women should pay 5 point obeisances, that is the two arms, two legs,

and head.

 

So here is the rule and it was made by a woman.

 

If he sends me the exact quote, I will send it on.

 

In service of Sri Sri Krishna Balaram,

Deena Bandhu dasa

 

PS. I wonder if these means that no part of a man's body is sacred. Your girls

are lucky you got three! ;-)