Touching the feet of parents/elders

Touching the feet of parents/elders
In Indian culture people touch the feet of parents, elders and sages, Touching the feet of elders and parents before venturing any new task or assignment, ensures success and confidence. Touching elder’s feet is often refereed as Padhabhivandan or Pranam or Charan Sparsa or Upasangrahan. It is act of showing respect to elders. It is the integral part of sanathana dharma to greet elders like Gods, Teachers and family members. People touch any religious person feet without considering age.According to scriptures, the act of touching feet is a mark of kindness and in return the elders bless the person which reduces their misfortune and calms down the mind.

Cultural Facts:

Touching feet of Elders or Saints is a unification of point of SHRADDHA & KARUNA.
SHRADDHA reduces ego & lower emotions along with Solar plexus chakra. KARUNA activates HEART- CHAKRA of the saints or elders. SHRADDHA increases receptivity of the person, while  KARUNA Start to discharge energy from HEART CHAKRA towards the person who is respective with SHRADDHA. 

Touching elder’s feet is sign of respect. People ask blessings of elders by touching the feet, in return elders  touch the head of the person as an act of giving bless. This act also called as 'Ashirvad'. As the elders have more potential energy to bless the children. The elders traveled through many paths, touched many sands and lands, seen many places and experienced many minds by this they have more knowledge and wisdom. Taking blessing from elders we get more energy to fulfill our desires.

In ManuSmiriti it was stated as

People always take blessings of elders at the beginning of new task, special occasions such as birthdays, marriages and festivals. This prostrate before our parents is the acknowledgement of their greatness, recognizing their loves, scarifies and giving respect as act of our gratitude. In India it is a basic etiquette and common manners of giving value to elders.

Types of Touching feet:

It is sort of exercise. There are three methods of touching the feet.

1) Lean forward and touch the feet

2) Sitting on knees

3) Sashtaang Pranaam (lie prostrate before especially deity)

Interesting facts:

• When an elder feet was touched in turn he need to bless the children by touching their head as act of blessing for long life, wealth and to fulfill their desires.
• People need to stand before elders in opposite direction and take spinal, head bend towards feet of elders by keeping straight legs.
• The positive energy of elders flows to children by this gesture and gives enough strength to fulfill their desires.

Scientific Reason:

• There are some physical, mental developments associated with it. The person is not only benefited with the blessings but unconsciously the person reveals his/her modesty and humble nature.
• Leaning forward and touching the feet stretches the waist and back bone.
• Sitting on knees relieves pain of the knees as the person bend his/her knees. All the joints of the body get stretched in the third method which removes stress and cures body pain.
• Sashthang Pranaam is considered as a good exercise. Stretching forward and lying down on your stomach and bring both your palms in from of you and join them. This posture helps us relieve stress and improves blood circulation. The blood reaches the brain faster, which is good for our eyes.
• Also, touching the feet reduces ego as it indicates respect and subservience. When the feeling of respect and dedication arouse automatically it suppress the egoistic nature of the person.
• Human body is a conductor of electricity. It consists of positive and negative energies which flow continuously end to end. Our body when vertically divided into two parts the left side of body posse’s negative currents and right side posse’s positive currents. The two parts collectively forms an electric circuit with positive and negative currents. When we touch the feet of elders by standing in opposite direction the left hand touches left foot and right hand touches right foot. Thus energies met, forms a big circuit and energies flow uniformly without any up and downs. When elders bless the person by touching their head with right hand increases the free flow of positive energy by grounding negative energies. Like a lamp illuminates and lights another lamps without losing its energy a person will not lose their energy by giving blessings to children. This gesture thus gives more strength to blessed person and illuminates positive things in their mind.

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