7.59
saba namaskari’ gela pada-praksalane
pada praksalana kari vasila sei sthane
SYNONYMS
saba—to all; namaskari’-offering obeisances; gela—went; pada—foot; praksalane—for washing; pada—foot; praksalana—washing; kari—finishing; vasila—sat down; sei—in that; sthane—place.
As soon as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw the sannyasis He immediately offered obeisances, and then He went to wash His feet.
After washing His feet, He sat down by the place where He had done so.
PURPORT
By offering His obeisances to the Mayavadi sannyasis, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu very clearly exhibited His humbleness to everyone.
Vaisnavas must not be disrespectful to anyone, to say nothing of a sannyasi.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches, amanina mana-dena: one should always be respectful to others but should not demand respect for himself.
A sannyasi should always walk barefoot, and therefore when he enters a temple or a society of devotees he should first wash his feet and then sit down in a proper place.
In India it is still the prevalent custom that one put his shoes in a specified place and then enter the temple barefoot after washing his feet.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is an ideal acarya, and those who follow in His footsteps should practice the methods of devotional life that He teaches us.