Touring South India

Murari Gupta’s biography titled “Krishna Chaitanya Carita Maha Kavya” (1.15.11-12) and other books describe how Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu honored the brahmanas Gaya by drinking their foot water.

Srila Prabhupada described the pastime thus: “When Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu went to Gayä, accompanied by many of His disciples, He became sick on the way. He had such a high fever that He asked His students to bring water that had washed the feet of brähmaëas, and when they brought it the Lord drank it and was cured. Therefore everyone should respect the position of a brähmaëa, as indicated by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Neither the Lord nor His followers displayed any disrespect to brähmaëas.The followers of the Lord must be prepared to offer brähmaëas all due respect. (Cc. 1.17.9 p.)

=Padma Purana Kriya-yoga-sara khanda cp 21Brahma said:

3-4. Of all the castes Brähmaëa is the most venerable per-son. Gifts should be given to him by men having devotion and faith. A brähmaëa is the resort of all deities. He is actually a god on the earth. He saves a giver in this ocean of the universe, which is difficult to cross.

The brähmaëa said:

5. O best god, you have declared brähmaëa to be the most respectable of all castes. But out of them (i.e. brähmaëas) who is the greatest? To whom is a gift given?

Brahma said:

6-8. O best Brähmaëa, all the brähmaëas are superior, and all are always respectable. But those brähmaëas who are spoilt by such blemishes as theft, so also our haters, are not respectable. So (gifts should) not be given to others. brähmaëas of bad con-duct are not respectable. çudras with their senses curbed are respectable. So also those who eat what is prohibited (are not to be honoured). Cows are supposed to be the mothers of people. O best Brähmaëa, I am now particularly telling the greatness of brähmaëas through affection for you. Listen to it attentively.

9-11. brähmaëas are respectable to kñatriyas, vaiçyas and ‘çudras. brähmaëas are respectable to one another, and brähmaëas are to be honoured. O best man, the life, sons, fame, wealth of him who would worship a brähmaëa looking upon him as Vishnu, increase. O Brähmaëa, Vishnu desires to cut off the head of that foolish man who hoards (wealth) on the earth.

12-15. O Jaimini(?), a wise man should not salute abrähmaëa who has flowers in his hand, who has water in his hand, who has (the idol of) a god in his hand, and whose body is smeared with oil. A wise man should not salute a brähmaëa who is in water, who is in a temple of a deity, whose mind is absorbed in medi-tation, and who is worshipping a deity. O best brähmaëa, a wise man should not salute a brähmaëa performing outside (i.e. morning) duties, who is taking his meal, so also a brähmaëa who is singing Samans. An intelligent man should not salute everyone ‘of the brähmaëas (separately) where many brähmaëas are pre-sent, O best brähmaëa.

16. He who would not salute (in return) abrähmaëa who has ‘devoutly saluted, should be known to be like a candala, and should never be saluted.

17. Parents saluted by their son, should not salute him (in return). All brähmaëas saluted by (other) brähmaëas, should salute them (in return).

18. The wise ones do not hate brähmaëas and cows who have committed faults. If through folly they hate, Vishnu is always angry with them.

19. Yama puts a needle into both the eyes of him who looks angrily at suppliants (and) brähmaëas.

20. O brähmaëa, Yama puts a heated iron rod into that mouth with which fools reproach (others).

21. In that house where a brähmaëa eats (food), Vishnu. himself (lives). So also all deities, manes and divine sages.

22-28. Yama quickly destroys all the sin in the body of him, the wise one, who would carry just a drop of water from the foot of a brähmaëa. All the holy places that exist in crores of worlds, exist in the right foot of a brähmaëa. He whose head is sprinkled with water from the feet of a brähmaëa, has bathed at all holy places and is initiated for all sacrifices. By carrying (on his head) the water from the foot of a Brähmaëa all his fierce sins like the murder of a Brähmaëa perish at once. By carrying (on the head) the water from the foot of a brähmaëa, all diseases like con-sumption, highly afflicting, perish instantly. The dead ancestors gratified by the water offered at the feet of a brähmaëa for the dead ancestors, live in heaven as long as the moon and the stars (exist). By a wise man who would worship a Brähmaëa’s feet with durvas after washing them, Vishnu, the lord of the world and. the best of all gods, is worshipped.

29-33. I am telling the truth (and) the truth (only). That mortal who would carry on his head the remains of the offering at the feet of brähmaëas, obtains eternal liberation. That best man who goes round a Brähmaëa while keeping him to his right, has gone round the earth with the seven islands. He who would give a fruit or a tambüla after wetting the feet of brähmaëas is free from a disease if he is ill, and from a sin if he is a sinner. One that is bound gets free from his bond on washing the feet of brähmaëas. By washing the feet of brähmaëas those women who have no children or whose children are dead, have many children and their children Live (long). O best brähmaëa, listen to the greatness (of the wetting of a brähmaëa’s feet) which re-moves all sins.

34a. I (shall) tell you in brief about (the importance of) wetting the feet of a Brähmaëa.

34b-46a. Formerly there was a brähmaëa named Bhadra-kriya, born in a pure family and highly devoted to worshipping Vishnu. He knew the Vedas, he was tranquil, and was highly devoted to his parents. He honoured guests; so also he honoured his kinsmen. Once that best brähmaëa, with his body smeared with oil, went, taking with him clothes used for bath-ing, to a lake to bathe (then). That best brähmaëa who knew all holy texts and who was engaged in the well-being of all people, having bathed made offerings to his dead ancestors in the proper manner. Having finished the bath-rite, and repeating Vishnu’s names, he came to his own house and was engrossed in worship-ping Vishnu. With very cold Water he washed both his feet. That brähmaëa who honoured (other) brähmaëas, who had washed his feet and hands, placed all utensils for the bath (of the deity). O best brähmaëa, to the region of the door came a dog that was tormented by the heat of the summer sun, resembling that of fire. He lay in the very cold water used by the brähmaëa for washing his feet. Due to the touch of the water used by the brähmaëa for washing his feet, the extremely sinful dog was freed from all sins committed during crores of existences.