Why is it a tradition to clean your feet after meals

[akrish5311]

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We have been asked by our parents /ancestors to wash our feet , specially the back portion after every meal. This may not be possible always, specially when you eat out in restaurant etc but its a tradition still followed by many while at HOME can anyone explain this tradition and why is it being done?

Thanks

Krishnan

 

[9868836164]

Sir,
Though I don't know the reason, I just know that in the Nalacharitram it is said that just because Nala Maharaja , while washing his feet after food, a pin point of his foot did not get drenched and hence that point became the sensitive one for Saneeswarar to catch him.
I am also anxious to know the answer.

 

[sangom]

We have been asked by our parents /ancestors to wash our feet , specially the back portion after every meal. This may not be possible always, specially when you eat out in restaurant etc but its a tradition still followed by many while at HOME can anyone explain this tradition and why is it being done?

Thanks

Krishnan

"Eating" was considered a less pure activity since it catered to one;s carnal desire of hunger. Hence, a token "purification" was built in into the brahmin routine. Instead of prescribing a ritual bath and chanting of gaayatree mantra at least 108 times and so on, the law-givers were kind enough to stipulate only "feet-washing". Let us be thankful for this small mercy.

A braahmanan for any shraaddham, who eats food as the representative of the pitru or the pitru's guide (visvedeva) is supposed to go straight after the shraaddham is over, to a pond or river, take bath, and stand in neck-deep water, chant 108 gaayatrees and then only he can go home. He is supposed to starve for the rest of the day so that he will regain his full "braahmanyam" on waking up next day!

Though you may not see any vaadhyaar doing this kind of "praayaschittham" today, I have seen vaadhyaars doing this in the blazing sun in the famous "padmateertham" temple pond of Trivandrum till thw late 1950's.

 

[psnarasimhan]

Really a useful information,
Without knowing the reason i was doing this,washing my feet after every meal for a very long time. I am glad i was doing the right thing though not knowing the reason. Thank you Mr.sangom for this information.

 

[tbs]

"Eating" was considered a less pure activity since it catered to one;s carnal desire of hunger. Hence, a token "purification" was built in into the brahmin routine. Instead of prescribing a ritual bath and chanting of gaayatree mantra at least 108 times and so on, the law-givers were kind enough to stipulate only "feet-washing". Let us be thankful for this small mercy.

A braahmanan for any shraaddham, who eats food as the representative of the pitru or the pitru's guide (visvedeva) is supposed to go straight after the shraaddham is over, to a pond or river, take bath, and stand in neck-deep water, chant 108 gaayatrees and then only he can go home. He is supposed to starve for the rest of the day so that he will regain his full "braahmanyam" on waking up next day!

Though you may not see any vaadhyaar doing this kind of "praayaschittham" today, I have seen vaadhyaars doing this in the blazing sun in the famous "padmateertham" temple pond of Trivandrum till thw late 1950's.

hi sangom sir,

i saw this tradition in palakkad agraharams during my child hood....when i was veda patasala student....i saw my vaadyars

doing like this.....we had a system in palakkad agraharam homes ...the place is called MUTTHHAM inside home...where a bucket

of water with a patram in it...after food mainly males washes their feet in the mutthham....its kind rain harvesting place inside home....

its must for every male to do so.....now a days ..life is apartment system......

 

[sarang]

Washing of feet before entering the house or before/after meals is a custom followed by all jatis and has reference in acharakovai which is applicable to all.

 

[9868836164]

Washing feet on entering the house is totally a different thing. One should purify before entering the house. The feet has the never points which connects all the parts of the body. So, if feet is washed, it gives immense relief from infection, etc. and purifies our system. But after meals,not only vaadyars but everyone should wash.Of course, after sharaddam, it is a different thing as explained by a well wisher above. But the reason behind it for everyone and every day is not known.

 

[krish44]

I wash hands with a soap before and after meals and also washing the feet on entering the house is a must for me . but washing feet before or after meals or washing feet of any holy men in the name of religion is unacceptable to me

 

[9868836164]

Washing feet and hands before and after meals

I wash hands with a soap before and after meals and also washing the feet on entering the house is a must for me . but washing feet before or after meals or washing feet of any holy men in the name of religion is unacceptable to me

Washing the feet of others is only on certain occasions. During Upanayanam the son washes the feet of his father because he is the first Guru. During marriage the bride's father washes the feet of his son-in-law becuse he supposed to be Vishnu who is to protect his daughter. During Sraddhams the vadhyars are considered as their forefathers.

 

[krish44]

Washing the feet of others is only on certain occasions. During Upanayanam the son washes the feet of his father because he is the first Guru. During marriage the bride's father washes the feet of his son-in-law becuse he supposed to be Vishnu who is to protect his daughter. During Sraddhams the vadhyars are considered as their forefathers.

washing of feet of others does not jel . many have fathers whose feet are not worth washing at upanayanam seeing their parenthood styles of bringing up kids.when my FIL washed my feet at my marriage I was revolted. Protecting or getting protected by spouse is laudable however.In his feet touching,I do not know if FIL thought I could make a good vishnu avathar ,May be he might have been seeing the kind of fellows who play Vishnu in tVserials or films. In sraddhams ,the poor brahmin who comes to partake the food for brahmnartham is considered to represent the dead soul. not vadhyars who perform the ceremony. I have seen many of them feeling very bad when an affluent person touches his feet

 

[9868836164]

washing of feet of others does not jel . many have fathers whose feet are not worth washing at upanayanam seeing their parenthood styles of bringing up kids.when my FIL washed my feet at my marriage I was revolted. Protecting or getting protected by spouse is laudable however.In his feet touching,I do not know if FIL thought I could make a good vishnu avathar ,May be he might have been seeing the kind of fellows who play Vishnu in tVserials or films. In sraddhams ,the poor brahmin who comes to partake the food for brahmnartham is considered to represent the dead soul. not vadhyars who perform the ceremony. I have seen many of them feeling very bad when an affluent person touches his feet

These are purely religious and has vedic injunctions. Scientifically, I read somewhere that washing feet and hands after meals strengthens our circulation system and thereby digestion also. From hygienic point of view also it is good.

 

[9868836164]

These are religious and have vedic injunctions. I read somewhere that scientifically washing of feet and hands after food helps circulation of blood and thereby digestion also. Moreover,it is hygienic also.

 

[Arun Ram]

Really a good question, but I had a different view on this.

1. Nalacharitharam, which says by not washing feet after meals had lead to many problems , but this shows the worst effect, which pushes fear in us.

2. now, a bit of science... To control body temperature... Let's see how?


How Eating Affects Body Temperature

Eating generally leads to a slight increase in body temperature, as your metabolic rate increases in order to allow the digestion of food. Your temperature may increase by as many as 2 degrees F as the chemical reactions of the digestive process take place within your body. These chemical reactions are what produces the heat that causes a slight augmentation in body temperature.

And at the same time when you wash your feet with cold water (only) then the pulse points in your ankle where the blood streams gets closer to your skin gets cooler and moderates your body temperature.

This is my learning and assumption / prediction for a scientific background.

As I believe Every culture has a reason behind it, and is the same with ours too.

So before rejecting the words of elders try to understand the reason behind, even if they themselves do not know.

Thanks.

 

[auh]

...Eating generally leads to a slight increase in body temperature, as your metabolic rate increases in order to allow the digestion of food. Your temperature may increase by as many as 2 degrees F as the chemical reactions of the digestive process take place within your body. These chemical reactions are what produces the heat that causes a slight augmentation in body temperature.

And at the same time when you wash your feet with cold water (only) then the pulse points in your ankle where the blood streams gets closer to your skin gets cooler and moderates your body temperature.

This is my learning and assumption / prediction for a scientific background...

If the increase in body temperature is a result of a natural metabolic process to aid/allow digestion, why should we cool it down?

There is a specific method of exercise, called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) which enables one to increase the metabolilc rate thus aiding in burning more fat.

 

[kunjuppu]

Really a good question, but I had a different view on this.

1. Nalacharitharam, which says by not washing feet after meals had lead to many problems , but this shows the worst effect, which pushes fear in us.

2. now, a bit of science... To control body temperature... Let's see how?


How Eating Affects Body Temperature

Eating generally leads to a slight increase in body temperature, as your metabolic rate increases in order to allow the digestion of food. Your temperature may increase by as many as 2 degrees F as the chemical reactions of the digestive process take place within your body. These chemical reactions are what produces the heat that causes a slight augmentation in body temperature.

And at the same time when you wash your feet with cold water (only) then the pulse points in your ankle where the blood streams gets closer to your skin gets cooler and moderates your body temperature.

This is my learning and assumption / prediction for a scientific background.

As I believe Every culture has a reason behind it, and is the same with ours too.

So before rejecting the words of elders try to understand the reason behind, even if they themselves do not know.

Thanks.

arun, are there any scientific studies and papers published? please quote if you know of such. thanks.

 

[Arun Ram]

Sorry Gentlemen, No scientific papers, but to me body temperatures is one of the important criteria, and a regulated body temperature always lead to healthy living. But modern science has no relevancy with body temperature.

But in line with our tradition we normally take weekly oil bath to regulate and lubricate our body, which really gives healthy life. Many of our elders still follow.

So increase in metabolic rate after meals increases body temperature, so an easy way to control the temperature and clean at the same time, is to wash the foot with water.

Also since already we live in a hot region, internal heat generation to aid metabolism may not be really necessary and will only lead to sweating and unnecessary problems.

And out of the nine pulse points in every human body easy wash ability is with the two elbows at the foot, and the one in our right hand.

So I logically assumed this reason.

Rest left to you to believe it or not. If I get some other good logic from our knowledgeable friends I am ready to accept.

Thanks

 

[9868836164]

Thanks for this logical reply. This was expressed that it would help blood circulation and digestion. But you have given a good explanation.