Hare Krsna,
It is a matter of divine coincidence that over the last few days as I have been trying to meditate on Krsna’s lotus feet and the various divine signs on Their soles, our teacher posted this meditation topic (as well as the picture of Krsna’s lotus feet with Their signs). As I am still in the process of compiling what each sign is means, I think it will be premature to list them all in this forum post. When I am done with my notes, I will post them in some future relevant forum post.
From meditation on the Lord’s lotus feet standpoint, one harsh truth I realized is that as I try harder to meditate on Krsna’s lotus feet, maya attacks even more. It is as if she doesn’t not want me to achieve the ultimate perfection of attaining shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet that every pure devotee aspires for. I know maya is kind and is just trying to test me. Hope my determination will come out successful. I pray for all you devotees’ blessings and mercy so that I may be successful in meditating on our Lord’s beautiful lotus feet.
Srimad Bhagavatam is full with the descriptions and benefits of the meditation on Lord’s lotus feet. Below are some of my favorite quotes on His lotus feet.
- When a devotee wants to see the transcendental form of the Lord, he begins his meditation on the Lord’s body by first looking at the feet of the Lord. (SB 4.24.52p)
- By his constitutional position, Lord Siva is always great and auspicious, but since he has accepted on his head the Ganges water, which emanated from the lotus feet of the Lord, he has become even more auspicious and important. The stress is on the lotus feet of the Lord. A relationship with the lotus feet of the Lord can even enhance the importance of Lord Siva, what to speak of other, ordinary living entities. (SB 3.28.22p)
- The pure devotees are always hankering after the lotus feet of the Lord. The lotus has a kind of honey which is transcendentally relished by the devotees. They are like the bees who are always after the honey. Srila Rupa Gosvami, the great devotee acharaya of the Gaudia-Vaishnava-sampradaya, has sung a song about this lotus honey, comparing himself to the bee: “O my Lord Krishna, I beg to offer my prayers unto You. My mind is like the bee, and it is after some honey. Kindly, therefore, give my bee-mind a place at Your lotus feet, which are the resources for all transcendental honey. I know that even big demigods like Brahmä do not see the rays of the nails of Your lotus feet, even though they are engaged in deep meditation for years together. Still, O infallible one, my ambition is such, for You are very merciful to your surrendered devotees. O Mädhava, I know also that I have no genuine devotion for the service of Your lotus feet, but because Your Lordship is inconceivably powerful, You can do what is impossible to be done. Your lotus feet can deride even the nectar of the heavenly kingdom, and therefore I am very much attracted by them. O supreme eternal, please, therefore, let my mind be fixed at Your lotus feet so that eternally I may be able to relish the taste of Your transcendental service.” The devotees are satisfied with being placed at the lotus feet of the Lord and have no ambition to see His all-beautiful face or aspire for the protection of the strong arms of the Lord. They are humble by nature, and the Lord is always leaning towards such humble devotees. (SB 1.11.26p)
- One who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord need not cross over the ocean, for he has already crossed it by virtue of his position at the Lord’s lotus feet. (SB 4.23.39p)
- To meditate upon the lotus feet of the Lord means to become free from the effects of all previous sins. The principle is that one should not willingly commit any sin in his life and should constantly remember the lotus feet of the Lord without deviation. Only in such a mood will the Lord help the devotee make regular progress toward the path of liberation and thus attain the lotus feet of the Lord. (SB 1.19.7p)
- By hearing and chanting of the glories of the Lord or the Lord’s devotee, one can become firmly fixed in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord. (SB 4.23.39p)
Devahuti prays, “As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, You have taken birth from my abdomen. O my Lord, how is that possible for the supreme one, who has in His belly all the cosmic manifestation? The answer is that it is possible, for at the end of the millennium You lie down on a leaf of a banyan tree, and just like a small baby, You lick the toe of Your lotus foot.” (SB 3.33.4)
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 