Student Research

WHY HINDUS BOW AT THE FEET OF RESPECTED ELDERS?

 

By: Veda Ranmath (1/22/2010)

 

In Indian culture any action done with the right thoughts and feelings behind it, in turn, enhances and enriches that experience.  The practice of charan sparsh is common amongst Hindus.  Charan means ‘feet' and sparsh means ‘touch'.  This Hindu ritual means bowing down to someone else and touching their feet in reverence.

Charan sparsh is performed by touching the feet of one's mother, father, religious persons, gurus and teachers with both hands.  The elder in turn blesses one by placing his or her hand on or over the head of the person bowing.  Seeking blessings from elders by bowing before them or touching their feet are pious customs that are being practiced since ages. 

Hindus believe that elders are the driving force in any family as they are wise and will impart their knowledge to the humble.  The sankalp or good wishes and ashirwad or blessings of elders are highly valued in India.  Even though people are created alike and respecting one another is ones duty; a Hindu takes blessings from his elders by touching their feet with humility and respect and in the action of bowing to another being it is a surrendering of one's ego. 

Good wishes springing from a heart of love, divinity and nobility have tremendous strength.  When one performs charan sparsh with humility and respect, one invokes the good wishes and blessings of elders which flow in the form of positive energy to envelop the person bowing.  Thus the posture assumed either standing or prone, enables the entire body to receive the energy.

 

Respected elders are the representatives of the Supreme, therefore bowing to the feet of seniors is a demonstration of respect in the highest order.  A universal Hindu mantra recited says,

Twameva Mata Cha Pita Twameva, Twameva Bandhu Sakha Twameva,

Twameva Vidya Sarvinam Twameva, Twameva Sarvam Mum Dev Deva.

"O Lord, You Are My Mother, Father, Kinsman And Friend.

You Are My Wealth Of Knowledge, Strength, Velour And Power.

You Are My All God Of Gods".

 Here God is represented by the mother, the father, and the guru or friend.  Also, in Taittiriya Upanishad 1/11/1-3 it states, "Matridevo bhava, Pitridevo bhava, Acharyadevo bhava Athitidevo bhava"  meaning the mother is the first God, love and respect her, father is the next God, obey and learn from him, respect your teacher as God, serve, love and obey him, a guest is God, feed and serve him.   For the Hindu therefore honouring and respecting elders is a natural behaviour.

 

It is seen also that the Guru brings the light of intelligence to remove the darkness of ignorance.  One who is open to the words of the Guru, his eye of wisdom in his heart opens up and that person becomes aware, becomes one with all things around.  Hindus view of the Guru may be seen in the mantra recited,

            Guru is Brahma, Guru is Vishnu, Guru is Maheshwara

 

Hindus also belief that Brahma (God) exist in everything as can be seen in the Shreemad Bhagavadgeetaa Chapter 4, verse 24, which says,

Brahmaarpanam brahma hairbrahmaagunau brahmanaa hutam

Brahmaiva tena gantavyam brahmakarmasamaadhinaa

 

Since Brahma is in everything, Hindus, as part of their culture, show humility by bowing to everything that is created by the Absolute Being.  Human beings are the creation of Brahma but not all created beings manifest the Divine qualities thus charan sparsh is performed only to respected persons.

 

Goswami Tulsidasji wrote the Raamcharitmaanas about 500 years ago.  This sacred poem contains about 10,000 verses written in sortas, chaupaees, dohas and chandas.   The Raamayan Sumiran is recited before reading the Raamcharitamaanas.  In the fifth verse of the Sumiran salutations are made to the different forms of the Absolute - the Guru, Surya Bhagavan and Shree Raama.

 

In verse five of the Raamayan Sumiran the line says,

 

"Bandaum gurapada kamja kripaasimdhu nararoopa hari

Mahaamoha tama punja jaasu bacana ravikara nikara"

 

It means salutations to the lotus feet of the Guru, whose feet represent the Ocean of compassion.  Here bandaum is associated with 3 other words.  When one thinks of bandaum the words vandana (prostrations, or I bow, I salute); archana (worship) and prathana (prayer) are synonymous or connected to bandaum. 

 

Tulsidas Baba teaches Hindus humility in demonstrating his own humbleness to respected elders.  He used the words tama (ignorance) and moha (delusion, remove illusions) since he is aware that ignorance leads to delusion.  What is this delusion?  The delusion is thinking of me and mine which brings about all the inner evils of pride, anger, jealousy, hatred, impatience, etc. on a daily basis. 

 

Also, in the Mangala Charan of the Raamcharitmaanas, before Tulsidasji begins the actual writing, he seeks kripas (blessings) from four mains sources.  First he bows to the Maha Shastra so that the scriptures reveal itself to him, them to the Supreme Beings, thirdly to the Guru so that all teachers favour him in their teachings and give freely of their knowledge and lastly he recognizes his inner self.

 

In conclusion, Hindus consider it an honour to be able to get the blessing of respected elders when one bows down in pranam to these holy souls.  The action of bowing is not just good physical exercise for the spine to remain flexible but also for control of the ego.  O children of noble and ancient culture, continue to bow to your elders and receive their blessings. 

 

 

REFERENCES:

 

1. Hinduism - A way of Life,http://www.mypurohith.com/Epics/Hinduism_Waylife2.asp

 

2. What is Charan Sparsh? http://www.swaminarayan.org/faq/charansparsh.htm

 

3. Raamcharitmanas, Goswami Tulsidasji, Raamayan Sumiran and Mangalacharan 

 

4. Shreemat Bhagavat Geeta, chapter 4 sloka 24

 

5.  Taittiriya Upanishad, 1/11/1-3