Why Jesus did did Wash His disciple’s feet (Paada Pooja)?
In Indian culture we honor our elders, parents, and teachers by bowing and touching their feet, representing total surrender and also showing respect and honor. Paada Pooja is a form of worshipping one\’s Guru by washing their feet. It has immense spiritual importance in Vedic traditions. The Paada Pooja ritual signifies total surrender of one\’s ego and consider the divine nature of the person whom you are doing Paada Pooja.
But only one Guru in history washed His disciples feet before His last days on this earth, no other than the God incarnate Lord Jesus Himself. During this extra ordinary ceremony, He became the servant and the disciple the masters. Ideally the disciples should have washed their Guru\’s feet but the reverse happened here. Jesus knew that His disciples are also divine, an ultimate surrender of the master at his servants took place here. He became a devotee of the disciples, the creator coming to know and bow down on the creation, what an extra ordinary thing.. This is beyond our comprehension. Then again His avatar is also beyond our understanding.
If God can come and become an avatar in this world, He can also liberate us from our Karama by symbolic gesture of a feet washing Pooja. It was not a grant ceremonial Paada Pooja with offerings, scented oil, milk, and flowers like we see these days. It was just simple washing of feet and kissing them. The layered meaning of this act is amazing.
Think of your feet being washed by your most revered Guru, think how would you feel if such things happen to you. The God men and women including contemporary Christian “Gurus” may learn something from this wonderful act.
It\’s an important lesson for us as well. People line up to do the tasks that are considered important, glamorous, or respected. But Jesus showed humility by doing the task that no one wanted to do.
He washed the disciples\’ feet — a dirty job usually performed by the lowest ranking person in the room. Was Jesus the lowest ranking person? No. He was Lord and Teacher, God incarnate.
“The whole universe is contained in Him; He creates, sustains and destroys it too; nothing but Himself in this world exists”Â
May I Prostrate at the feet of my spiritual master, my Lord and my God….
