MEANING OF “ DANDAUTH” (Palm pressed flat lying prostration)
PART 1
The divine meaning of Palm Pressed flat lying prostration (“Dandaut”) is to surrender yourself completely to the Guru. The literal meaning is to lie down on your belly with your face down and with folded hand in front of the Guru’s feet in full congregation. By doing so you will be physically practicing the Guru’s words:
(“Kar Dandaut Pun Wadda Hai”),
Do Palm pressed flat lying prostration (“Dandauth”) – It is great virtuous deed)
”Kirtan Sohila”
By doing Palm Pressed flat lying prostration (“dandauth”) in front of the entire holy congregation (“Sangat”) you will physically feel the difference inside you. It will bring a lot of humility and humbleness inside you. You will be moving forward in the process of full surrender to the Guru. This is a divine law, which is mandatory to bring complete humbleness inside you. Humbleness is going to drive your ego out and make you closer to the Supreme Guru God (“Gur”) and Guru.
Utmost humbleness is the key to the Court (“Dargah”) of Timeless eternal Being (“Akal Purakh”).
A person who becomes Slave of slaves (“Dassan Dass”) is :
- (“Param Padvi ,a Sant Padvi”) Supreme Status, Saint Status,
- At the level of, knower of universal divine wisdom ( “ Padvi of BrahamGyani”)
- Slave of the slaves,
- Lowest of the lowest,
- Humblest of the humblest.
(“Braham Gyani Sagal Ki Reena”)
(”BrahmGiani”) Universal knower of God is the dust of all
(“Sukhmani”)
This line means that (“Braham Gyan”) Knowledge of God comes when one becomes the (“Charan Dhoor”) foot dust of the entire universe. It means you need to become the lowest of the lowest. This is the height of humbleness and humility. And this is a divine quality of a person that takes him to such heights in the Divine Court (“Dargah”) of Timeless eternal Being (“Akal Purakh”).
Slave of Slaves
(“Dassan Das”)
PART 2
HOW TO BOW?
(“DANDAUTH BANDHNA”)
PALM PRESSED FLAT LYING PROSTRATION
– WEAPON TO KILL YOUR EGO (“HAUME”)
Palm Pressed flat lying prostration (“Dandauth”) means lying flat as a stick when greeting your Guru. (“Bandhna”) means Greeting. (“Dandauth Baandhna”) literally means to lie on your belly, face down with folded hands on the feet (“charan”) of the Guru.
The normal Sikh Tradition is (“matha tekna”) – bow your head on the (“charans”) feet of your Guru. But Guru’s word wisdom (“ Gurbani”) says: Do palm pressed flat lying prostration, it is a boon (“kar dandauth pun wadda hai”). This means that Timeless eternal Lord (“Akal Purakh”) is telling you to earn the rewards by doing Palm pressed flat lying prostration (“dandauth”) on the feet of your Guru.
(“dandauth bandhna anik baar
sarab kala samrath’)
Do the Palm pressed flat lying prostration (“dandauth”) greeting again and again, many times
On the feet of the Timeless eternal Being (“akal purakh”), Complete Saint (“puran sant”), Truth Guru (“satguru”).
Guru “Arjun Dev Ji”.
In the deepest sense it means to surrender your self completely at the feet of the Guru. By doing so you will move spiritually forward. Offer everything you have – (“tan man dhan “) body, mind and wealth – to the Guru. You will start to kill your ego/pride (“haume /ahankaar”). This is your worst enemy and by doing Palm pressed flat lying prostration greeting (“dandauth bandhna”) in full congregation (“bhari sangat”) at the Guru’s House (“ Gurudwara”) you will win your ego. Do it time and again, the more you do it the more you will be cleaned from inside. You will be more humble every time you do it.
You can’t complete your spiritual path (“puran bhagti”) without complete surrender to the Guru. Palm pressed flat lying prostration greeting (“Dandauth Bandhna”) will help you a great deal to do complete your spiritual journey (“bhagati”). It works great, just do it, and do it time and again, it will do wonders to you, it will clean you up from inside very fast.
Remember the supreme status (“param padvi”) is to become slave of the slaves (“dassan dass”) of the entire universe ( “kot brahmand ka dass”). Become the shadow of the shit of 8.4 million species of the entire universe (“84 lakh juni di lidh da parchawan”). (“Dassan Dass”) is the slave of the insect that crawl in shit ( “bishta ke kire ka dass”).
You need to be so humble that you should have the same respect for your food as for your shit and urine. (Ed note: Meaning doesn’t see food as great, and shit as disgusting. Its all part of God’s great creation – it is all GREAT, great – (“dhan dhan”). Greater than our ego.)
When Guru Nanak was getting ready to hand over the Guru-ship (“gur gaddi”) to Great Lovable Brother (“Bhai”) “Lehna ji”, he asked him to eat a human dead body. And do you know what Great Great Supreme sacrificial Brother “Lehna Ji” (“Bhai Sahib Lehna ji”) asked the Guru? “Where should I start eating it?” This is how Great ,Great Love filled Brother of all “Lehna Ji” (“Bhai Sahib Bhai Lehna ji”) became Slave of slaves (“Dassan Dass”) and Guru “Angad Dev ji”. That is what Slave of slaves (“Dassan Dass”) is.
Are you moving on the right direction to become a Slave of slaves (“Dassan Dass”)? You can look inside and judge yourself. God is sitting inside you judging you
(“takdi watta tolan haara”)
The Measuring Balance, Measuring Yardstick,
And the One who is measuring you, judging you on a continuous basis.
The bottom line is that you have to bow before each and every creation of His to become a Slave of slaves (“Dassan Dass”), to become like Brother ,dear lovable great “Lehna ji” (“Bhai Sahib Bhai Lehna ji”) and Guru “Nanak Dev ji”. You may not be able to become them, but take them as your role models and try to become LIKE them. Utmost humbleness is the key to success.
Keep in mind when you try to do Palm pressed flat lying prostration greeting (“dandauth bandhna”) for the first time it might be difficult to do it. If you tried and were not able to do it then you are a loser and your ego (“haume”) is still the obstacle. If you do it then you are a winner. You will feel the difference between bowing head at feet of Guru (“matha tekna”) and Palm pressed flat lying prostration greeting (“dandauth bandhna”) after you do it.
Along with Palm pressed flat lying prostration Greeting (“dandauth bandhna”) you should dust Congregation’s (“sangat’s”) shoes with your beard or ponytail for women. Or at least dust them with your bare hands from the bottom of the shoes and put the dust on your forehead and recite, “sat naam wahe guru”. Be as humble as possible.
Guru’s eternal lovable word wisdom (“Gurbani”) also says:
(“Jo dise gursikhra tis niv niv lagoon pae jio”)
On seeing Guru’s disciple ( “Gursikh”) become humble and bow before them
So not only do we bow to the Guru, but Guru’s word wisdom ( “Gurbani”) is telling you to bow before the person who is Guru’s Disciple (“Gursikh”). And who is Guru’s disciple (“Gursikh”)? Who is the servant of “Gur” (God / Timeless eternal Being (“Akal Purakh”)? The one who has surrendered everything to Him – that one is a real disciple of Guru (“Gursikh”).
The words – Saint (“sant”),Pure Being (“ khalsa”), Simple (“sadh”),Devotee Of Guru (“ gurmukh”), People of God (“jan”), Knower of Universal wisdom/Knower of God (“ BrahmGiani”) are very high spiritual positions – Realm Of Truth (“sach khand”) and above. They are the people who have conquered over their mind and 5 thieves and are one on one with Timeless Lord Of All (“ Akal purakh”).
Timeless Lord (“Akal purakh”) is saying:
(“hum santan ki ren pyare hum santan ki sharna
Santa paas punji hamari sant hamara gehna”)
I am the dust of the feet of the Beloved Saints; I seek the Protection of their Sanctuary.
The Saints are my all-powerful Support; the Saints are my ornament and decoration. ||1||
(SGGS 614)
Doesn’t this mean that for Him a Saint is every thing? Doesn’t this show how much He loves a saint? He lives in the Saint and serves the Saint – and what does a Saint do
(“sant jpawe naam”)
A saint causes the God’s ambrosial eternal nectar Name (“Naam”) to be repeated.
(“Bin satgur naam na paey”),
Without the Truth Guru (“Satguru”) no one has found the Ambrosial Nectar Name (“ Naam”).
(“Bin satgur bhagat na hoi”),
Without the Truth Guru (“Satguru”) no devotional worship can be done
(“Bin satgur mukt na hoi”),
Without the Truth Guru (“Satguru”) no salvation can be attained
(“Satgur maha purakh paras hai”),
The Truth Guru (“Satguru”) is the Great Soul, the Touchstone (changes us into God)
(“Nanak sadh prabh bhed na bhai”),
“Nanak”: no one can understand the depths/ways of the Saint
(“Braham gyani aap parmeshwar”),
The Knower of Universal Wisdom (“ brahmGiani”) is Supreme Transcendental Lord Himself.
(“Braham gyani aap nirankara”),
The Knower of Universal Wisdom (“brahmGiani”) is the Formless Lord.
(“Braham gyani puraan purakh vidhata”).
The Knower of universal Wisdom (“brahmGiani”) is the perfect Being.
Please forgive this (“bishta ka kira”) insect in manure for any misrepresentations.
(“Dassan Das”)
Slave of Slaves