Re Touching feet by devotees.

[Guest guest]

Camp:Vrindavan.

 

Hare Krishna. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila

Prabhupada. All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga.

 

It is observed that many devotees try and touch other devotees feet as an

expression of humility. In this regard please refer to the following from

Caitanya Caritamrita - Adi Lila - Chapter 17 which is self-explanatory:

 

 

TEXT 243

TEXT

eka-dina mah€prabhura ntya-avas€ne

eka br€hmaŠ… €si’ dharila caraŠe

 

SYNONYMS

eka-dina—one day; mah€prabhura—of Lord ®r… Caitanya Mah€prabhu;

ntya-avas€ne—at the end of the dancing; eka—one; br€hmaŠ…—wife of a

br€hmaŠa; €si’—coming; dharila—caught hold; caraŠe—of His lotus feet.

 

TRANSLATION

One day when ®r… Caitanya Mah€prabhu had finished His dancing, a woman, the

wife of a br€hmaŠa, came there and caught hold of His lotus feet.

 

šdi 17.244

TEXT 244

TEXT

caraŠera dh™li sei laya v€ra v€ra

dekhiy€ prabhura duƒkha ha-ila ap€ra

 

SYNONYMS

caraŠera—of His lotus feet; dh™li—the dust; sei—that woman; laya—takes; v€ra

v€ra—again and again; dekhiy€—seeing this; prabhura—of the Lord;

duƒkha—unhappiness; ha-ila—there was; ap€ra—unlimited.

 

TRANSLATION

As she took the dust of His lotus feet again and again, the Lord became

unlimitedly unhappy.

 

PURPORT

This holding of a great personality’s lotus feet is certainly very good for

the person who takes the dust, but this example of ®r… Caitanya Mah€prabhu’s

unhappiness indicates that a VaiŠava should not allow anyone to take dust

from his feet.

One who takes the dust of a great personality’s lotus feet transfers his

sinful activities to that great personality. Unless the person whose dust is

taken is very strong, he must suffer the sinful activities of the person who

takes the dust. Therefore ordinarily it should not be allowed. Sometimes in

big meetings people come to take the same advantage by touching our feet. On

account of this, sometimes we have to suffer from some disease. As far as

possible, no outsider should be allowed to touch one’s feet to take dust

from them. ®r… Caitanya Mah€prabhu personally showed this by His example, as

explained in the next verse.

 

šdi 17.245

TEXT 245

TEXT

sei-kaŠe dh€ñ€ prabhu ga‰g€te paila

nity€nanda-harid€sa dhari’ u˜h€ila

 

SYNONYMS

sei-kaŠe—immediately; dh€ñ€—running; prabhu—the Lord; ga‰g€te—in the water

of the Ganges; paila—plunged; nity€nanda—Lord Nity€nanda; harid€sa—Harid€sa

µh€kura; dhari’—catching Him; u˜h€ila—raised Him.

 

TRANSLATION

Immediately He ran to the river Ganges and jumped in to counteract the

sinful activities of that woman. Lord Nity€nanda and Harid€sa µh€kura caught

Him and raised Him from the river.

 

PURPORT

®r… Caitanya Mah€prabhu is God Himself, but He was playing the part of a

preacher. Every preacher should know that being allowed to touch a

VaiŠava’s feet and take dust may be good for the person who takes it, but

it is not good for the person who allows it to be taken. As far as possible,

this practice should ordinarily be avoided. Only initiated disciples should

be allowed to take this advantage, not others. Those who are full of sinful

activities should generally be avoided.

 

Yours in the service of ISKCON & Srila Prabhupada,

 

Your servant,

Bhakta Haresh.