Pada Sevanam - Why feet?

The fourth of the nine processes of bhakti-yoga is pada-sevanam: “serving the feet” of Krishna. 

Why serving the feet? 

To approach a person’s feet is a sign of humility. The feet of the Supreme Lord are  known as “lotus feet.” Simply thinking of them brings devotees to deep feelings of love and longing. The mighty devas, controllers of the sun, wind, water, and all aspects of the material world, were delighted when Lord Krishna wandered the forests of Vrindavana, leaving His footprints in the dust. And Krishna’s dear friends the gopis (cowherd girls) would press this dust against their heads and hearts, lost in ecstatic trance.

The Vedic scriptures describe the Lord’s feet in detail. On His soft reddish soles are the marks of the lotus, conch shell, club, disc, flag, thunderbolt, fish, and rod for controlling elephants. To worship someone’s feet is to accept the humblest of approaches, and yet the Lord makes this attractive with His exquisitely beautiful feet. Worship of the Lord’s lotus feet is a great spiritual blessing, because anyone charmed by those transcendental feet loses attraction to temporal pleasures.

The Lord Brahma prays, “For one who has accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murari, the enemy of the demon Mura, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoof print. His goal is param padam, or Vaikuntha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.58)


Spiritual Progress

Pada-sevanam comes after the devotional practices of hearing about Krishna, chanting about Him, and remembering Him. It’s a spirtual progres.

The Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.41) :

devarshi-bhutapta-nrinam pitrinam na kinkaro nayam rini ca rajan sarvatmana yah sharanam sharanyam
gato mukundam parihritya kartam

“Anyone who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda [Krishna], the giver of liberation, giving up all kinds of obligation, and has taken to the path in all seriousness, owes neither duties nor obligations to the demigods, sages, general living entities, family members, humankind, or forefathers.

Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune, as one who has become perfect by pada-sevanam. Sri Lakshmi always massages the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, as noted in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.11.33): “The goddess of fortune, although by nature very restless and moving, could not quit the Lord’s feet.” 

Krsna's Feet

The feet which Lord Brahma washed with reverence 
they are supreme Brahman themselves!

The feet whcih Mother earth Joyfully worshipped.
On King Bali's head this foot was placed.
Valiantly this foot had measured the entire world.
Indra was protected by the grace of these feet!

Ahalya sins were washed away by those feet
These are the feet that were placed on Kaliya's head
With Love, Sree Lakshmi massages this feet
These are the feet of Lord Hayagreeva

For the great sages in many ways 
these divene feet grant salvation!
Proving that "Tiru Venkatagiri" is etrnal
the supreme realm at your feet!





 

The Nine Devotional Services Rendered by great mahajans

sri-prahrada uvaca  sravanam kirtanam vishnoh smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam iti pumsarpita vishnau  bhaktis cen nava-lakshana kriyeta bhagavaty addha tan manye 'dhitam uttamam (Srimad Bhagavatam 7-5-23-24)

Hear about Krsna's transcendental name, His form, His characteristics, His possessions and His pastimes and to hear and chant about His pastimes, to remember them, to serve the lotus feet of the Lord, to respectfully offer service to the Lord, to offer prayers to the Lord, to become His servant, to consider the Lord one's best friend and to offer Him everything-these nine processes are recognized as pure devotional service.


1. Sravanam HEARING

Maharaja Pariksit, the last seven days of his life, he constantly heard the Srimad Bhagavatam.

2. Kirtanam CHANTING 

Sukadeva Goswami spoke the Bhagavatam to Maharaja Pariksit, the last seven days of his life.

3. Smaranam REMEMBERING

Prahlada Maharaja, never forgot Krsna even tortured constantly by his father- Hiranyakashipu.


4. Pada Sevanam SERVING THE LORD'S LOTUS FEET

Laxmi, the Goddess of Fortune, is always engaged in serving the lotus feet of the Lord.

5. Archanam WORSHIP 
 
Maharaja Prthu used all of his wealth in order to offer pure devotion to the Lord.

6. Vandanam OBEISANCE 

Akura offered prayers to Krsna when he was traveling to Vrndavana in order to see Krsna.

7. Dasyam SERVICE

Hanuman, the intimate servant of Ramacandra executed all of Sri Ramacandra's orders despite all kinds of difficulties.

8. Sakyam SERVING AS A FRIEND

Arjuna was so close to Krsna, that the Lord offered Himself to become his chariot driver and serve Arjuna and his brothers in various ways.

9. Atma Nivedanam COMPLETE SURRENDER

Bali Maharaja gave Sri Vamanadeva his entire kingdom, his possessions as well as himself, although his own spiritual master was against it.

The nine devotional services of Lord as prescribed by Sri Prahalada Maharaj

sri-prahrada uvaca  sravanam kirtanam vishnoh  smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam iti pumsarpita vishnau  bhaktis cen nava-lakshana kriyeta bhagavaty addha  tan manye 'dhitam uttamam (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.5.-23-24)

Sri Prahlad Maharaj said Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Krsna, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him -- these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of  Krsna through these nine Processes should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.

The nine different processes enunciated by Prahalada who learned them from Sri Narada Muni, may not all be required for the execution of devotional service; if a devotee performs even one of these nine can attain the mercy of Krsna.

1.      Sravanam: Hearing of the holy name of the Lord is the beginning of devotional service. By chanting the holy name of the Lord, one is cleansed of the material conception of life. When the dirt is cleansed from one's heart, one can realize the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead 

2.      Kirtanam. The hearing of the holy name has been described above. Now let us try to understand the chanting of the holy name, which is the second item in the consecutive order. A devotee can very peacefully chant the holy name of the Lord by behaving more humbly than the grass, being tolerant like a tree and offering respects to everyone, without expecting honor from anyone else. The chanting mahamantra as prescribed in scriptures for Kaliyuga is “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”

3.      Smaranam: Remebering, after one regularly performs the processes of hearing and chanting and after the one's heart is cleansed, remembering is recommended. Remember Krsna always.

4.      Pada sevanam. Service to lotus feet. According to one's taste and strength, hearing, chanting and remembrance may be followed by Pada Sevanam. One obtains the perfection of remembering when one constantly thinks of the lotus feet of the Lord. Being intensely attached to thinking of the Lord's lotus feet is called Pada sevanam. 

5.      Archanam: Worship, after Pada sevanam comes the process of archanam, worship of the Deity. If one is interested in the process of arcanam, one must positively take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master and learn the process from him. 

6.      Vandanam: obeisances. To offer obeisances to Lord.

7.      Dasyam. Service, to assist the Lord as a servant.

8.      Sakhyam Friendship, In regard to worshiping the Lord as a friend. 

9.      Atma Nivedanam: the stage at which one that has no motive other than to serve the Lord surrenders everything to the Lord and performs his activities only to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead.