gurupādodakaṁ pānaṁ guroruicchaṣta-bhojanaṃ | gurumūrteḥ sadā dhyānaṁ gurornāmnaḥ sadā japaḥ || 32 ||🔗

32. One should drink the Guru's feet-washed water (gurupādodaka) and eat the remnants of the Guru's food plate. One should always chant the name of the Guru and always meditate on the Guru's form (gurumūrti). notes: all these practices constitute one-pointed devotion and His ananya chintana. It is complete dedication of one's life to Guru's service only.

Please listen.

Let me tell you the essence of worshipping the Guru's feet, gurupāda. Why Guru is worshipped!

Worshipping the Guru is the most ancient tradition in the Vedic tradition. When you are showered so much by Guru with His knowledge, experience, love, blessings, everything, when you are showered by Him—with overflowing gratitude, you don't know what to do. So, you offer whatever you have at His feet. That is the way the tradition of Guru Pūjā started.

Listen. Guru Pūjā, offering gratitude at the feet of the Guru is the oldest ritual in the Vedic tradition, this is the oldest ritual.

Please understand, the oldest sacred ritual is Guru Pūjā. The first disciple is Pārvatī, Ādi Śakti. The moment the first disciple, Ādi Śakti is excited with the experience of Śiva, the experience given by Mahādeva, in that extraordinary gratitude, she fell at Mahādeva's feet and offered whatever she had at His feet. So the first ritual Guru Pūjā started.