Why do we touch our elders' feet when we seek blessings?

Touching elders’ feet is the first lesson in manners and etiquette that all Indian children are taught. So, generally, one is supposed to touch the feet of a person if he/she happens to be an elder member of the family or a respected spiritual person.

In Indian culture, there are specific occasions when a person is expected to touch his / her elders’ feet. These occasions include before one is departing for or arriving back from a journey, weddings, religious and festive occasions, etc. In earlier times, it was a like a custom in India for youngsters to touch their parents’ feet first thing in the morning and before going to bed. Though there are many who still follow this rule, the truth is that the tradition is now slowly waning away with time.

When an elder person’s feet are being touched, he /she, in turn, is supposed to touch the head of the person doing the act and bless him /her for long life, fortune and prosperity. Interestingly, the act of touching feet gets somewhat intensified during certain occasions.

By touching the feet of our elders, highly spiritual people or saints is a unification of point of SHRADDHA & KARUNA.

“SHRADDHA ” reduces “ego” & lower emotions along with Solar plexus chakra .

“KARUNA “ activates HERT- CHAKRA of the saints or elders.

“SHRADDHA” increases receptivity of the person ,while

“KARUNA” Onset to discharge power from HEART CHAKRA towards the person who is receptive alongside ” SHRADDHA “

THIS TECHNIQUE IS ALSO APPLICABLE IN DIVINE PUJA.

IF THERE IS NO SHRADDHA TOWARDS GOD,DEVOTEE CAN’T GET “KARUNA ” [ Power of blessings] FROM GOD.THUS, WHEN WE TOUCH THE FEET OF ELDERS /SAINTS WITH ‘SHRADDHA’ WE RECEIVE ENERGY OF ‘KARUNA’ / BLESSINGS FROM THEM

There is logical reason behind it;

It is concerning transfer of punya ( good deeds) and papa (sin) from one’s body to other.Generally, elder is a word used to embody those people who can uphold extra sin in their body. It is a relative term. One should only seek blessings from an elderly person.

Sashtanga Namaskar or Sa- Ashta Anga, which is eight parts of the body are in contact with the ground. The eight parts are: forehead, two shoulders, two hands, torso, two legs. You also know that women do not do the namaskara in this way.

Panchanga Namaskar, or Panch-Anga Namaskaram, is a mode worshipping the deity in a Hindu Temple. This form of worship is mainly advised for women. Panch means five parts and anga here refers to body parts. The Panchanga are Knees, palms, forehead, folded hands and one-pointed mind. A woman kneels down with palms joined together or touching the feet of the revered one in front. After this posture one prays to the deity with folded hands (namaskaram) and one-pointed mind. It is believed that this form of namaskaram helps in strengthening the womb of women.

Our rule makers (makers of sastras) while making the rule that namaskara should be by lowering the body prostrate on the ground, eschewing every thought of self importance and finding the lowest level with the ground, they duly thought of the Universal Mother aspect (matrutwam) of Parasakthi (Ambal) which is a distinguishing divine principle in women, and took care not to imply any suggestion of lowering its importance. They ruled that the part of the body which sustains the growth of the foetus during pregnancy and the part that creates within itself the nourishment for the new born and feeds it should not be allowed to come in contact with the ground. If the torso should not touch the ground, then the shoulders have to be excluded so that the namaskara can conveniently performed. Thus, excluding the three angas, in their case it becomes panchanga. This also symbolises the need for women to have a "bending" nature. Bowing down itself means bending and it seems that the namaskara performed by women is real bowing down. Men sometimes may use the hand only instead of lowering the body for "bowing" but women always do panchanga namaskara.

Shastranga and Panchanga Namaskara