Category:Dandavat
Theme Analysis
The term daṇḍavat refers to the physical act of offering profound respect by falling completely flat on the ground before a superior. Śrīla Prabhupāda meticulously explains the etymology of the word, noting that daṇḍa means a rod or stick, and vat means like. Thus, to offer a daṇḍavat is to drop before the spiritual master, a Vaiṣṇava, or the Supreme Lord without any reservation, just as a lifeless stick falls straight to the earth. This physical gesture must be accompanied by genuine internal humility and a sincere desire to surrender, which in turn accelerates one's spiritual advancement.
- The Etymological Meaning: The word daṇḍa translates to a rod, pole, or stick, and vat translates to like. To perform this act means to physically fall down exactly like a stick falling straight to the ground.
- The Physical Requirement: Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that simply uttering the word daṇḍavat verbally is insufficient; one must actually perform the physical action of falling flat on the ground before a superior.
- The Attitude of Surrender: The external act of falling flat must be matched by an internal state of deep humility and submission, demonstrating a mind sincerely humbled through devotion.
- The Spiritual Result: By regularly offering obeisances in this manner to the spiritual master, the vaiṣṇavas, and the Supreme Lord, a disciple becomes fixed in their practices and advances rapidly on the path of devotion.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Daṇḍavat - The Humble Act of Falling Flat Like a Stick.
Pages in category "Dandavat"
The following 23 pages are in this category, out of 23 total.
1
A
- A brahmana is not supposed to offer his obeisances by falling flat before anyone because a brahmana is considered to be in the highest caste. However, when a brahmana sees a devotee, he offers his dandavats
- A disciple should offer dandabats, not namaskara. The more one becomes fixed up in guru obeisances, the more he advances in spiritual progress
I
- I am very glad to know that Ananda Prabhu is staying with you. Please offer my dandabats. He is my old god brother. Sincere Vaisnava. Please treat him like your father. Do remain in full cooperation
- In regard to strictly following the regulative principles, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says; dandavat-pranamas tan anupatitah
- It is not that one should simply say, "dandavat." Rather, one must fall down
O
- O King, when all the demigods saw the Supreme Lord in that posture, smiling with eyes like the petals of lotuses grown in autumn, they were overwhelmed with happiness and immediately fell down like rods, offering dandavats
- One should offer obeisances unto the Lord with a mind humbled through devotion. While offering dandavats by falling on the ground like a rod, one should chant the above mantra ten times. Then one should chant the following prayer
- One should silently murmur the mantra 108 times and offer prayers to the Lord for His glorification. Then one should circumambulate the Lord and finally, with great delight and satisfaction, offer obeisances, falling straight like a rod (dandavat)
S
- Sanatana Gosvami offered his obeisances and dandavats from a distant place, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu called him again and again to embrace him
- Seeing that wonderful and effulgent form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Prajapati Daksa was first somewhat afraid, but then he was very pleased to see the Lord, and he fell to the ground like a stick (dandavat) to offer his respects to the Lord
- Sometimes we only speak of dandavats but actually do not fall down. In any case, dandavat means falling down like a rod before one’s superior
T
- The word danda means rod or pole. A rod or pole falls straight; similarly, when one offers obeisances to his superior with all eight angas (parts) of the body, he performs what is called dandavat
- The word danda means “rod,” and vat means “like.” To offer obeisances to the spiritual master, one must fall flat exactly as a rod falls on the ground. This is the meaning of the word dandavat
- The word used among the Vaisnavas for offering respect is dandavat. This word means "falling down like a stick"; one should offer respect to the superior Vaisnava by falling down straight, with his body just like a stick
- They bow down like stick. This is called dandavat. Danda means "stick"; vat means "like." When you fall down, just like a stick falls, before superior, that is called dandavat. Not by simply saying dandavat... Eh, one must fall down