“Have we ever given a thought to the extremely important role that our ‘charan’ … our ‘Feet’ play in our lives ? Why are the ‘Holy Feet’ of ‘mahapurush’ worshipped?”

Swamiji says…

” None of us have any memory of the day, the moment, when we had taken our first baby steps, and after many failed and successful attempts, had gradually learned to walk. The excitement and joy that had been derived by the elders of our family during those moments is reflected as they narrate, with great clarity, the landmark moment in our lives. And why not? After all it is they who had directed our little feet to walk…and it is later, as we grow up, that the steps taken by our feet in the direction chosen by us, determine our present and future life. Our parents would prevent us from walking in the wrong direction or towards an unsafe area by pulling us back in the nick of time and save us from falling and hurting ourselves. What happens to those very feet that were schooled to be careful, watchful, sure-footed as we mature ? Why do they tend to wander off in any direction aimlessly, without any particular purpose, buckle under peer pressure and willingly fall into the first pitfall that comes in our path? Is it because we have loosened the hold , the well- intentioned grip that our parents had on our hands, guiding us on the right path and correcting the wrong course on which we would set out unknowingly as a small child.”

“As children we were introduced to the beautiful practice of touching the feet of our elders and saying ‘pranam’ – an act that conveyed our respect and regard for them. Most of us were unable to understand the relevance of this particular act as children , but we did as directed by them happily, as it was our duty to obey them. It was only later on that we realized the supreme significance of this age-old custom. We were not only being taught the importance of respecting our elders; receiving their blessings that were showered generously on us by them, but apart from this, our most important learning was that it was the miniscule portion of ‘divinity’ inherent within each one of them, that was paid obeisance to by the ‘divinity’ within us as we touched their feet.”

“Have we ever given a thought to the fact that our feet have borne our weight, quietly; taken us wherever we wish to go, tirelessly, without complaining? They follow our command and submit to our control over them, silently, never voicing any grievance against us. But do we even think for a second whether the direction in which we take our feet is appreciated, liked by our feet or not? Do they have a choice to resist when we take them to questionable surroundings? Do we seek their opinion and ask them – ‘Are we going to the right place or the wrong place?’ We stumble and fall while walking, but within seconds we are back on our feet again, and our feet support us, although they too could be shaken by the fall. But what do our feet experience and feel when we, at times…fall, in a state of drunkness or drug abuse – a state into which we had knowingly led ourselves? Do these limbs of ours feel let down when we opt to go to a bar or pub, regularly and repeatedly, and return home tottering on our feet? Do they feel sad when they are not directed towards sacred places of worship, towards ‘satsang’, centres where healthy spiritual discourses can uplift us spiritually and intellectually , but head only for dark and illegal , illicit areas? Let us not misuse our feet.”

” The ‘parampara’ – centuries old tradition and ritual of bathing and worshipping The Holy ‘charan’ – the Lotus Feet of God, saints and self-realized ‘gurus’ has been practiced since time immemorial. Devotees of saints and ‘gurus’ whose simple teachings and pure, exemplary life had influenced them greatly, were encouraged to anoint their ‘sadgurus’ with the title.
‘Mahapurush’ – ‘aur aise mahapurushon ke charan anant anadi kaal tak puje jaate hain aur yeh mahapurush samay aane pey samadhi mein chaley jaate hain.’
Believers and followers of such devout ‘mahapurush’ reverentially drink the water with which their ‘guru’s charan’ are washed, accepting it as ‘amrit’ – nectar. They opine that this water is as pure as the water obtained from the most sacred rivers. They lovingly rest their head on their guru’s ‘charan’ by saying that all the ‘punya’- ‘good karma’ that they could have accumulated from their ‘tirth yaatra’ is attained merely by sitting at their guru’s Lotus Feet. People willingly observe such practices as they accept the fact that ‘aise mahapurush’ – great men like them – have lived a life that was raised on the foundation of sound principles of truthfulness, honesty, good-will and hardships, and these extraordinary men had never deviated from the path of righteousness and goodness. The unparalleled reverence that was nursed for the Holy ‘charan’ of Lord Ram is immortalised by the manner in which His ‘khadaoon’ – wooden slippers were used as His substitute, by His younger brother , Bharat, to rule Ayodhya, in Lord Ram’s absence, when He was sent to exile for fourteen years. Such unshakeable faith was placed in the Holy Feet of Maryada Purushottam.”

“Think ot the words – ‘Watch, where you are going’ the next time you are drawn towards places and areas that cannot benefit you in any which way and which cannot have a positive effect on you. You must take a u-turn or turn back immediately, with a steely resolve, to begin walking anew on “the righteous path”- ‘nek raaste pe chalo’, so that your feet too can participate voluntarily and enthusiastically with you
and transform you into a complete, wholesome, good individual.”