Guest guest Posted November 20, 1999 Report Share Posted November 20, 1999 Home Base: Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, Navadwip Dham, Nadia, WB, INDIA Camp: ISKCON Radha Madhava-hari Mandir, Buranilakantha, Kathmandu, Nepal. My Dear Spiritual Son, Please accept my blessings. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Thankyou for your question cited below with my answer. > Dear Srila Gurudeva, > Please accept my respectful obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada. > We have herd that taking the dust from the feet of a vaisnava is glorious > and it is recommended that we take the dust from the Spiritual master. > My question is what if some one wants to touch the feet of other devotees > as a habit and the devotee whose feet are touched feels uncomfortable?? > I know it takes a lot of humility to touch feet of some one but at the > same time if we are making someone uncomfortable, is it really good?? > How can we convey this message gently to the other devotee?? > Could you please enlighten me on this issue. > Your Servant. > Sita Rama lakshmana dasa. In the pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu it is mentioned that sometimes even great acaryas and associates would try to touch each others lotus feet but they would try to avoid having another devotee touch their feet. Sometimes they faced off like battling lions trying to get the dust and avoid being touched on their own feet. A devotee is humble and doesn't consider himself/herself worthy of anyone touching his/her feet. Also by touching the feet you give karmas to the other person and get their good qualities. You also get forgiven for making offenses in the past to that devotee. So if someone is really advanced or has been offended then one tries to touch their feet. Otherwise it isn't that we go on touching all devotees feet. IN CC it is mentioned that three things can help us to advance in Krishna consciousness very quickly: the dust of the lotus feet of devotees, the water which has washed the feet of devotees and the remnants of their prasadam. In India since sannyasis bodies shouldn't be touched by everyone nor at all by women the wooden shoes of the sannyasi are often kept for disciples to touch. Ladies could also get dust from the gurus feet from his shoes without actually touching the body of the Spiritual Master. Even today we get the dust from Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet from His Divine Grace's shoe remnants. I hope this has answered your question. I hope that this finds you in good health. Your ever well wisher, Jayapataka Swami Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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