Immediately Brahmā descended from his great swan carrier and fell down before the Lord just like a golden stick. The word used among the Vaiṣṇavas for offering respect is daṇḍavat. This word means "falling down like a stick"; one should offer respect to the superior Vaiṣṇava by falling down straight, with his body just like a stick. So Brahmā fell down before the Lord just like a stick to offer respect; and because the complexion of Brahmā is golden, he appeared to be like a golden stick lying down before Lord Kṛṣṇa. All the four helmets on the heads of Brahmā touched the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Brahmā, being very joyful, began to shed tears, and he washed the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa with his tears. Repeatedly he fell and rose as he recalled the wonderful activities of the Lord. After repeating obeisances for a long time, Brahmā stood up and smeared his hands over his eyes. Seeing the Lord before him, he, trembling, began to offer prayers with great respect, humility and attention.
Dandavat
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 4
Daṇḍa means "a long rod," and vat means "like." Before a superior, one has to fall down on the ground just like a stick, and this sort of offering of respect is called daṇḍavat. Atri Ṛṣi offered his respect to the three deities in that way. They were identified by their different carriers and different symbolic representations. In that connection it is stated here that Lord Viṣṇu was sitting on Garuḍa, a big aquiline bird, and was carrying in His hand a disc, Brahmā was sitting on a swan and had in his hand kuśa grass, and Lord Śiva was sitting on a bull and carrying in his hand a small drum called a ḍamaru. Atri Ṛṣi recognized them by their symbolic representations and different carriers, and thus he offered them prayers and respects.
SB Canto 5
The words devarṣi-caraṇānuśayana indicate that Mahārāja Priyavrata, having fully surrendered to the great sage Devarṣi Nārada, was strictly following all the devotional processes and regulative principles under his direction. In regard to strictly following the regulative principles, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says; daṇḍavat-praṇāmās tān anupatitaḥ. By immediately offering obeisances (daṇḍavat) unto the spiritual master and by strictly following his directions, the student becomes advanced. Mahārāja Priyavrata was doing all these things regularly.
SB Canto 6
Seeing that wonderful and effulgent form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Prajāpati Dakṣa was first somewhat afraid, but then he was very pleased to see the Lord, and he fell to the ground like a stick (daṇḍavat) to offer his respects to the Lord.
Surrounding and serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, were sixteen personal attendants, decorated with ornaments and appearing exactly like Him but without the mark of Śrīvatsa and the Kaustubha jewel. 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 daṇḍavats. Then they slowly rose and pleased the Lord by offering Him prayers.
One should offer obeisances unto the Lord with a mind humbled through devotion. While offering daṇḍavats by falling on the ground like a rod, one should chant the above mantra ten times. Then one should chant the following prayer.
SB Canto 8
Thereafter, 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 (daṇḍavat).
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Lord Brahmā bowed down like a stick, and because Lord Brahmā's complexion is golden, he appeared to be like a golden stick lying down before Lord Kṛṣṇa. When one falls down before a superior just like a stick, one's offering of obeisances is called daṇḍavat. Daṇḍa means "stick," and vat means "like." It is not that one should simply say, "daṇḍavat." Rather, one must fall down. Thus Brahmā fell down, touching his foreheads to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and his crying in ecstasy is to be regarded as an abhiṣeka bathing ceremony of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
The word daṇḍa means rod or pole. A rod or pole falls straight; similarly, when one offers obeisances to his superior with all eight aṅgas (parts) of the body, he performs what is called daṇḍavat. Sometimes we only speak of daṇḍavats but actually do not fall down. In any case, daṇḍavat means falling down like a rod before one's superior.
A brāhmaṇa is not supposed to offer his obeisances by falling flat before anyone because a brāhmaṇa is considered to be in the highest caste. However, when a brāhmaṇa sees a devotee, he offers his daṇḍavats. This brāhmaṇa priest did not ask Mādhavendra Purī whether he was a brāhmaṇa, but when he saw that Mādhavendra Purī was such a bona fide devotee that Kṛṣṇa would even steal for him, he immediately understood the position of the saint. As stated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya/ yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei "guru" haya. (CC Madhya 8.128) Had the brāhmaṇa priest been an ordinary brāhmaṇa, Gopīnātha would not have talked with him in a dream. Since the Deity spoke to both Mādhavendra Purī and the brāhmaṇa priest in dreams, practically speaking they were on the same platform. However, because Mādhavendra Purī was a senior sannyāsī Vaiṣṇava, a paramahaṁsa, the priest immediately fell flat before him and offered obeisances.
The word daṇḍa 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 daṇḍavat.
CC Antya-lila
Sanātana Gosvāmī offered his obeisances and daṇḍavats from a distant place, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu called him again and again to embrace him.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ, notpādayed yadi ratim (SB 1.2.8). This hearing process is very, very important. But people are not interested in hearing. They are simply busy in some other duties. My Guru Mahārāja used to say... One who was not interested in hearing, he used to call him a daṇḍavat-class. Daṇḍavat-class of men. That means simply he knows how to make daṇḍavats, that's all. (laughter) Anyone who will come to him, he would see whether he is a daṇḍavat-class of man or hearing class of man. So daṇḍavat is nice, but by offering daṇḍavat, if one does not develop the intent of hearing, śravaṇam, then he is not making very much progress. As you know, because I was little interested in hearing, my Guru Mahārāja, he accepted me as his disciple. He marked this. "This boy is interested in hearing. He does not go away." Actually, I do not know. I could not understand what he was speaking in the beginning, but still I was very much interested to hear him, out of curiosity or something like that.
Speculator, mental speculator. Give up this habit. Just become humble, namra. Jñāne prayāsaṁ namanta. Namanta means namra. Namra, offering obeisances. Just like we offer daṇḍavats. So similarly, namanta, to surrender. In a surrendering spirit, in a humble spirit, try to hear about the Supreme from the realized souls. This is the process. San-mukharitām. Not professional. One who has actually realized, from him, if you hear, meek and humble, without speculating mentally, then by this process only, one can realize the Supreme Lord very easily. Supreme Lord is called Ajita; nobody can conquer Him. But if one adopts this process, hearing from the realized soul in an attitude of humbleness, then he can conquer the ajita. He can understand. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately accepted this process, eho haya, āge kaha āra. Eho haya "This is nice."
Those who are worshiping Me," yājana... Yājana means worshiping. So Kṛṣṇa therefore advises, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). So Kṛṣṇa worship, mad-yājī, worshiping Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says, "Worship Me." What is that? Māṁ namaskuru. If you simply come in this temple and offer little obeisances, daṇḍavat... Daṇḍa, daṇḍa means "rod"; vat means "like." Just like one stick falls straight on the ground, similarly, if we fall straight before the Deity, that is called daṇḍavat, "like the stick." Daṇḍavat-praṇāma. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa namratā. Namratā is required. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Namanta. Be submissive. So this daṇḍavat is the symbolic presentation of submission. And Kṛṣṇa wants that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), submission.
So in this way Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, one of the six Gosvāmīs, very important devotee, he used to live. He used to eat every alternate day, not daily. One day starving, and the next day, a little butter. But he was observing his regulative principles, taking thrice daily bath and offering daṇḍavat, what is called? Counting, numerical. Just like we count twenty-five rounds minimum, so Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was also chanting by counting. Similarly, he was offering daṇḍavat. You offer daṇḍavat, the same way. That is also counting. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka, keeping a strength, a numerical strength, just like we are advised at least sixteen rounds. So these things were going on. Not that because he was taking little butter alternate day, he lost his strength. No. The strength was all right. So the fasting means if you don't feel weak, then you fast. Not that you imitate Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. That is not possible in the beginning. But it is possible if you practice, if you practice.
Devotee (2): Daṇḍavat.
Prabhupāda: Daṇḍavat class(?). Surrender means you must abide strictly the orders, sad-dharma-pṛcchā, ādau gurvāśrayam. To accept a guru means... Śiṣya means one must agree to be governed by the spiritual master. That is called śiṣya. Śiṣya... Śās-dhātu. From śās-dhātu all these terms—śāstra, śiṣya, śāsana. These are words derived from the root śās-dhātu. Śās-dhātu means śāsana, governing. The governing is done by military, governing is done by lawbooks, governing is done by personal instruction, so many things. So śiṣya means who voluntarily accepts to be guided or being governed by the representative of God. That is śiṣya.
One hundred and ninety-two rounds. And we are giving you only for sixteen rounds. We don't ask you to imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. But saṅkhyā-pūrvaka... He would not sleep or he would not eat unless he has finished his 192 rounds. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna... And nāma-gāna and natibhiḥ. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was offering obeisances round the Rādhā-kuṇḍa, whole, that "So many times I shall fall down." He was falling down. Still there are many devotees, they do that. You fall down, daṇḍavat. Then, from the point where your head is touching, you just have a line. Again stand there and fall down. Again stand there and fall down.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
How great I am. Kṛṣṇa has come just like a cowherd boy." You see? Therefore he... Kṛṣṇe jānāñā dvārī brahmāre lañā gelā. Kṛṣṇa inquired, "Which Brahmā has come?" Now the doorman takes him inside, and he enters Kṛṣṇa's room, offers his respect. Kṛṣṇera caraṇe brahmā daṇḍavat kailā. Now, if Kṛṣṇa is ordinary person, as the foolish rascals think, that avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā: (BG 9.11) "The foolish rascals deride at Me as ordinary man," how it is possible that Brahmā is offering his respect to Kṛṣṇa? If you think that "These are all stories..." Not stories. Do you think Caitanya Mahāprabhu is speaking some stories, some fabricated stories, to get His followers? Do you think like that? No. Lord Caitanya, such a great devotee... Apart from His feature of incarnation, take Him as a great devotee, learned. He was vastly learned, and nobody could surpass Him in His learning in those days. He defeated... When He was a sixteen-years-old boy, He defeated the greatest scholar, Keśava Kāśmīrī. His name was Keśava. He came to Navadvīpa from Kashmir to talk with scholars. Formerly, as nowadays you have got—what is called?—champion, champion.
Departure Talks
Prabhupāda: Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī's feast.
Rāmeśvara: Yes. So the questions they have are: While Lord Nityānanda is inducing all the devotees to chant, can some of the devotees be paying their daṇḍavats to Lord Nityānanda at that time? And the other question is: Although Lord Caitanya cannot be seen, except for a few devotees...
Prabhupāda: No, only Nityānanda.
Rāmeśvara: Nityānanda only. But can He be shown also with His hand upraised in the air?
Prabhupāda: No. Why?
Rāmeśvara: Well, they want to make Lord Caitanya very prominent, because this will be on the cover of the book.
Prabhupāda: You can make it, visible, invisible. Visible, invisible.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Because you are rascal. For rascal everything is difficult. Easy thing is made difficult by rascals. That is the proof that you are rascal. By nature one is supposed to surrender to the parents. This is easy. Why do you do not do this? This is natural. Just like you have surrendered to me. Why? Because you think I am superior, you have to take knowledge from me. So if you have to accept some superior for your guidance, how you can deny surrendering? You see, brahmacārī, he is being taught daṇḍavat śīraṣi, by touching the head. Yesterday we were talking of that brahmacārī? That is the instruction. Who is this boy?
Harikeśa: He's Kuṇḍali. He just came from New York.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He just came from New York. He's from the West... He's a Commonwealth citizen. He's from the West Indies. He says he'll stay in India for the rest of his life.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that's nice. So you are going to the magistrate? You have calculated?
Saurabha: Ten thousand bags.
Aksayānanda: Wonderful. I'll bring him this morning if it's all right.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Aksayānanda: Jaya. He bows down. He pays dandavats. He said, "You're a sannyāsī, so I must respect. I'm only a gṛhastha."
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the duty.
Aksayānanda: And he is also very intelligent. He's not just doing it out of sentiment. Very nice man. Older man.
Prabhupāda: If a sannyāsī is not offered respect, the punishment is that he should fast one day. That is śāstric injunction.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: He arranged for a very palatial building, yes.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. He says you would make him listen to your writings. Sometimes you would write all night, I think he told me. I spoke to him on the phone when I was at Vele(?). He sends you his daṇḍavats. He says he's ready to move in when the Vṛndāvana gurukula is ready. He says he'll move to Vṛndāvana and do whatever you want him to do in the gurukula.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mr. Mohatta, he also passed through Shivapuri. So he... When I told him there were some woods, some forests, he said, "Oh, then it must be Shivapuri." I said, "How did you know that?" He said, "Because of all the pla... That is the only place where there's even a little bit of forests." He said, "It is not much forest, but there is something." He said, "Otherwise, Madhya Pradesh is generally very dry, but the Shivapuri district..."
Prabhupāda: Hm, Shivapuri.
Prabhupāda: ...known as a religious man so that they can do business very exploitively. They were called by Guru Mahārāja, dharma-dhvaji.(?) Exploit (Bengali). Guru Mahārāja used to say dharma-dhvaji. "Daṇḍavat class." Yes. He knows simply to offer daṇḍavats. (laughs) Even so nice word: "Oh, he's a daṇḍavat class." My Guru Mahārāja was very humorous. He was a Calcutta bhap.(?) Therefore he liked me. All others, they came from East Bengal. I was the only disciple, Calcutta. All others...
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Last night I heard on the radio—they were having news-yesterday in the Raja Sabha (Senate of the Indian Government) the Communist leader Bhupesh Gupta, he said that the government should close the Māyāpur center.
Prabhupāda: That is their business. Now you have to take the opposite, that "Why these people are so anxious about this unrest? Let there be further inquiry by the Janata party. And suspend..." No. Yes. "And suspend the Communist government for the time being."
Prabhupāda: Bhaktivikāśa Mahārāja, daṇḍavat. (Bengali)
Bhaktivikāśa: (Bengali)
Prabhupāda: (Bengali) What is the position of Bhadrak?
Gaura-govinda: Bhadrak, there are three devotees now, Ātma-tattva, Kṛṣṇadāsa and Rohiṇī-nandana, and they were preaching and making some members. Bhadrak is a good place for preaching. And I also come there. Just on the 1st November, there was a festival that on that day Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived there when He was going from Jagannātha Purī to Vṛndāvana. They observe that festival. So they have invited us to speak in that meeting on that day. Bhāgavata and I came. There was a great festival and we do nagara-saṅkīrtana in the evening. In the meeting Bhāgavata spoke and then I spoke. This was very nice.
Prabhupāda: People are coming?
Gaura-govinda: Yes, people are coming.
Prabhupāda: Daṇḍavat.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said daṇḍavat.
Kṛṣṇa dāsa Bābājī: (Bengali with Prabhupāda about parikrama)
Prabhupāda: Make an experiment.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: What time we start?
Bhavānanda: Five o'clock.
Prabhupāda: (Bengali) Somebody may go and bring his mālā-japa.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bring him?
Prabhupāda: Bring his beads.
| Page Title: | Dandavat |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 12 of Oct, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=7, CC=4, OB=1, Lec=8, Con=7, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 27 |