dandavat definition

Mad-yajinaḥ, Krsna says. "Those who are worshiping Me," yajana... Yajana means worshiping. So Krsna therefore advises, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg 18.65]. So Krsna worship, mad-yaji, worshiping Krsna... Krsna says, "Worship Me." What is that? Mam namaskuru. If you simply come in this temple and offer little obeisances, danḍavat... Danḍa, danḍa 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 danḍavat, "like the stick." Danḍavat-pranama. Prakrsta-rūpena namrata. Namrata is required. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Namanta: be submissive. So this danḍavat is the symbolic presentation of submission. And Krsna wants that. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg 18.66], submission. The bhakti process is simply submission. So mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam [Bg 9.25]. If you do not study or if you have no education to study Vedic literatures, you simply... The temple is installed for this purpose, that if somebody comes, simply offers his obeisances before the Deity, before the spiritual master, simply by doing that he will become perfect. Just like these children. A small child is offering obeisances. It may be said that they are imitating, but not all child imitates. There are many children. So there are fortunate children who comes here, offers obeisances, dances with kirtana, and... So these are not in vain. They are taken into account, and he also becomes developed in spiritual consciousness. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat.    (More...)