Why should a disciple wash guru’s feet & take it as Charnamrut?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krishna. I am not against chanting,through yoga and pranayam mind become sober. Chanting also help alot. I am against washing feet of guru and take it as charnamrut. Question is how contaminated part become pure. Children touch parents feet. Is it not symbol of loyality. Than similarly deciples touch guru feet is ok. But washing it mixing with honey and curd take it as charnamrut, how. What type of loyality. Is external factor doesn’t matter at all”
REPLY:
You buy just a piece of Jasmine flower or rose flower and gift your wife.
Does that 10 rupees flower attract her?
No. Your love and remembrance of wife attracts her.
Surrender to Guru or Krishna & Which is great? Why? READ HERE!
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You say that it is unclean water.
If you remove the skin, what will be inside our body?
Dirtiest and worst smelling contents!
But we are showing ourselves beautiful and great.
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See, No one forces a devotee to clean the feet of the guru and take it as charnamrut. p
It is his own choice whethert to do it or not.
It is not compulsory and it is not one of the conditions for diksha.
But, this has a great meaning.
Cleaning the feet of a guru requires the sacrifice of our ego and pride.
Devotion is means Surrender to Guru and God.
“Give up all the religious practices and surrender unto Me”
This is the ultimate advice of Bhakti yoga.
In Bhagavad Gita (4.34), Krishna Himself advises us to SURRENDER to a guru, ie serve a guru submissively that requires surrender mindset.
“tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ”
“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth”
(Why gurus allow their disciples to worship them? READ HERE!)
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Sri Caitanya Maha prabhu said that we should fall at the feet of a vaishnava and spray the soil particles from under his feet on our head if we commit any offense agains that Vaishnava.
The purpose of falling at the feet of Vaishnava is to surrender our ego at his feet.
Only if we have such a surrender mindset without ego, we can grow fast in devotion.
Thinking “I will not bow down to anybody, but I should be treated as a great devotee” is not a favourable mindset for devotees.
More surrender – More destruction of ego – More growth in devotion.
To cultivate the surrender bhava, this practice of washing the feet of our guru is followed.
In India, we have seen that many schools arrange the public programs in which the students wash the feet of teachers and parents.
(Guru Padacraya: Taking refuge to Guru in a Right way! READ HERE!)
Pandavas never violated the advice of their mother.
Lord Ramachandra too honoured his parents and elders.
If such practices are done even for the teachers and parents who help us to get material success, why can’t we wash the feet of our Guru who gives Krishnja Himself to us?
Surrendering attitude is a major character of a vaishnava.
After washing the feet of the guru, you can spray that water at your head. It is not compulsory to drink it.
Though a devotee takes it as charanamrut, it is out of love and respect to his guru.
Those who has no objection to consume it, can take it as Charnamrut.
Other can spray on their heads.
Whatever the case may be, Falling at the feet of guru and cleaning his feet is the choice of every indiviidual devotee.
Whether to consume it or to spray it at his head is his own choice.
ON HIS PART, THE GURU WHO RECEIVES SUCH HONOURS DO NOT ACCEPT THOSE HONOURS, BUT PASS THOSE HONOURS TO THE LORD.
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Getting a pure guru is difficult in this kaliyuga. However, Srila Prabhupada has given a nice guru-disciple system.
When we surrender to a guru and follow what he instructs, we get faster growth in devotion.
So, if any guru allows you to clean his feet, happily do. You can either spray that water on your head or consume a drop of it.
No compulsion. It is your choice.
But one should not speak against such practices followed by the humble devotees who like to show their love and respect to their reverred guru.
Hope you are clear why should a disciple wash guru’s feet & take it as Charnamrut.
(WHAT IF A DISCIPLE IS UNABLE TO SURRENDER TO GURU? READ HERE!)