Pada Puja : Its Significance-Part III

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Remembering the Essence

In contrast, look at the tradition here in India, soaked in the Vedantic truth. As soon as I meet you, first we remember that the essence behind you, the pure Consciousness and the essence behind me, the pure Consciousness - both are one - to Him our prostrations (Namaskar). Isn't it? Whoever you may be, you may be a wicked man or even a murderer, yet behind be, you may be a wicked man or even a murderer, yet behind you that enlivening essence is one and the same enlivening essence in me. They are really both one, Once we know this, every time we meet, we first remind each other that the Lord who resides in each one of us is 'One Truth'. Because we are working at the body level, there are naturally competitions and misunderstandings. But at the substratum we are all one, to that 'One' we bow down.

Even if there are differences there is the one integrating truth. You and I are brothers; we may quarrel amongst us but the father is one. So when we think of the father, harmony is created. This unity in diversity, this harmony amidst the dis-harmonies will be beautifully brought out in this symbol of the prostration. The mark of sandal pate or Kumkum on one's forehead only means that today you had a satisfactory session in your prayers, meditation and contemplation. Of that joy you make a mark, taking a little sandal paste from the feet of the Lord or Kumkum from mother or Vibhuti. Now I see you in the marketplace, I see that mark and remember the mood of contemplation that I had today and when you see a similar mark on my forehead, your mind also moves into that. Our minds glide into a spiritual mood, and then our mutual contact becomes totally different.

One more culturally significant action is when we prostrate to our elders - father, mother, or teacher. Prostration means that one touches the feet of an elder with one's head. Why? The feet stands rooted in that elder's love for me, in the sacrifices that he or she has made for me, something that I admire in that person. That ideal I want to bring into my head. It is symbolized in the prostration. I surrender myself in order to invoke that great essence or quality into myself.

All these different ways of greeting, hold a greater significance. So then the Pada puja is a venerable action of invoking that Infinite Reality, tat-tvam-asi. Just as we worship a symbol and that symbol can be made of wood, a cross, a Shiva Linga, and so on, we worship here the living feet, the moving feet of the Teacher. Once we understand the import of this symbolism, a Pada puja becomes a great beginning in that search for Reality.

About the author

Swami Chinmayananda

Swami Chinmayananda the great master's lectures were an outpour of wisdom. He introduced the Geetha Gnana Yagna. He wrote a lot of books on spirituality, commentaries to Vedantic texts, children books etc. He then started spreading His teachings globally.....