Falling down like a stick

Expressions researched:
"fall down on the ground just like a stick" |"falling down like a stick" |"like a rod" |"like a stick"

SB Canto 4

SB 4.1.24, Purport:

Thereafter he began to offer prayers to the three deities, who were seated on different carriers—a bull, a swan and Garuòa—and who held in their hands a drum, kuça grass and a discus. The sage offered them his respects by falling down like a stick.

Daëòa means "a long rod," and vat means "like." Before a superior, one has to fall down on the ground just like a stick, and this sort of offering of respect is called daëòavat. Atri Åñi offered his respect to the three deities in that way. They were identified by their different carriers and different symbolic representations. In that connection it is stated here that Lord Viñëu was sitting on Garuòa, a big aquiline bird, and was carrying in His hand a disc, Brahmä was sitting on a swan and had in his hand kuça grass, and Lord Çiva was sitting on a bull and carrying in his hand a small drum called a òamaru. Atri Åñi recognized them by their symbolic representations and different carriers, and thus he offered them prayers and respects.

SB 4.9.3, Translation:

When Dhruva Mahārāja saw his Lord just in front of him, he was greatly agitated and offered Him obeisances and respect. He fell flat before Him like a rod and became absorbed in love of Godhead. Dhruva Mahārāja, in ecstasy, looked upon the Lord as if he were drinking the Lord with his eyes, kissing the lotus feet of the Lord with his mouth, and embracing the Lord with his arms.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.4.40, Translation:

Seeing that wonderful and effulgent form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Prajāpati Dakṣa was first somewhat afraid, but then he was very pleased to see the Lord, and he fell to the ground like a stick (daṇḍavat) to offer his respects to the Lord.

SB 6.19.10, Translation:

One should offer obeisances unto the Lord with a mind humbled through devotion. While offering daṇḍavats by falling on the ground like a rod, one should chant the above mantra ten times. Then one should chant the following prayer.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.16.43, Translation:

Thereafter, one should silently murmur the mantra 108 times and offer prayers to the Lord for His glorification. Then one should circumambulate the Lord and finally, with great delight and satisfaction, offer obeisances, falling straight like a rod (daṇḍavat).

SB 8.17.5, Translation:

When the Supreme Personality of Godhead became visible to Aditi's eyes, Aditi was so overwhelmed by transcendental bliss that she at once stood up and then fell to the ground like a rod to offer the Lord her respectful obeisances.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.13.62, Purport:

Lord Brahmā bowed down like a stick, and because Lord Brahmā's complexion is golden, he appeared to be like a golden stick lying down before Lord Kṛṣṇa. When one falls down before a superior just like a stick, one's offering of obeisances is called daṇḍavat. Daṇḍa means "stick," and vat means "like." It is not that one should simply say, "daṇḍavat." Rather, one must fall down. Thus Brahmā fell down, touching his foreheads to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and his crying in ecstasy is to be regarded as an abhiṣeka bathing ceremony of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.38.34, Translation:

Akrūra, overwhelmed with affection, quickly jumped down from his chariot and fell at the feet of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma like a rod.

SB 11.27.45, Translation:

The devotee should offer homage to the Lord with all kinds of hymns and prayers, both from the Purāṇas and from other ancient scriptures, and also from ordinary traditions. Praying, "O Lord, please be merciful to me! "he should fall down flat like a rod to offer his obeisances.

SB 11.29.16, Translation:

Disregarding the ridicule of one's companions, one should give up the bodily conception and its accompanying embarrassment. One should offer obeisances before all—even the dogs, outcastes, cows and asses—falling flat upon the ground like a rod.

SB 12.8.36, Translation:

These two sages, Nara and Nārāyaṇa, were the direct personal forms of the Supreme Lord. When Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi saw Them, he immediately stood up and then with great respect offered Them obeisances by falling down flat on the ground like a stick.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 1.67, Translation:

After reading the verse, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went into an ecstatic mood. While He was in that state, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī came and immediately fell down on the floor like a rod.

CC Madhya 1.67, Purport:

The word daṇḍa means rod or pole. A rod or pole falls straight; similarly, when one offers obeisances to his superior with all eight aṅgas (parts) of the body, he performs what is called daṇḍavat. Sometimes we only speak of daṇḍavats but actually do not fall down. In any case, daṇḍavat means falling down like a rod before one's superior.

CC Madhya 1.68, Translation:

When Rūpa Gosvāmī fell down like a rod, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu got up and gave him a slap. Then, taking him on His lap, He began to speak to him.

CC Madhya 3.140, Translation:

As soon as mother Śacī appeared on the scene, Caitanya Mahāprabhu fell before her like a stick. Mother Śacī began to cry, taking the Lord on her lap.

CC Madhya 5.111, Translation:

Then the elderly brāhmaṇa, being very pleased, came forward and immediately fell like a stick in front of Gopāla.

CC Madhya 8.19, Translation:

When Rāmānanda Rāya saw the wonderful sannyāsī, he was struck with wonder. He went to Him and immediately offered his respectful obeisances, falling down flat like a rod.

CC Madhya 11.152, Translation:

Murāri Gupta at first did not meet the Lord but rather remained outside the door, falling down like a stick to offer obeisances.

CC Madhya 11.186, Translation:

As soon as Haridāsa Ṭhākura saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he immediately fell down like a stick to offer Him obeisances, and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu raised him up and embraced him.

CC Madhya 18.16, Translation:

When the Lord saw Govardhana Hill, He immediately offered obeisances, falling down on the ground like a rod. He embraced one piece of rock from Govardhana Hill and became mad.

CC Madhya 24.334, Purport:

When the Lord is established, worship with all sixty-four items should continue as far as possible. The sixty-four items are as follows: (1) There must be a big bell hanging in front of the temple room so that whoever comes into the room can ring the bell. This item is called prabodhana, or offering oneself submissively to the Lord. This is the first item. (2) The visitor must chant "Jaya Śrī Rādhā-Govinda!" or "Jaya Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava!" when he rings the bell. In either case, the word jaya must be uttered. (3) One should immediately offer obeisances to the Lord, falling down like a stick. (4) There must be regular maṅgala-ārati in the temple during the early morning, an hour and a half before the sun rises.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 13:

mmediately Brahmā descended from his great swan carrier and fell down before the Lord just like a golden stick. The word used among the Vaiṣṇavas for offering respect is daṇḍavat. This word means "falling down like a stick"; one should offer respect to the superior Vaiṣṇava by falling down straight, with his body just like a stick. So Brahmā fell down before the Lord just like a stick to offer respect; and because the complexion of Brahmā is golden, he appeared to be like a golden stick lying down before Lord Kṛṣṇa. All the four helmets on the heads of Brahmā touched the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Brahmā, being very joyful, began to shed tears, and he washed the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa with his tears. Repeatedly he fell and rose as he recalled the wonderful activities of the Lord. After repeating obeisances for a long time, Brahmā stood up and smeared his hands over his eyes. Seeing the Lord before him, he, trembling, began to offer prayers with great respect, humility and attention.

Krsna Book 38:

Akrūra could understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead had appeared personally for the welfare of His creation, to reestablish the principles of religion and to annihilate the demons. With Their bodily effulgence the brothers were dissipating all the darkness of the world, as if They were mountains of sapphire and silver. Without hesitating, Akrūra immediately got down from his chariot and fell flat, just like a rod, before Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. Upon touching the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he became overwhelmed with transcendental bliss; his voice choked up, and he could not speak. Due to his transcendental pleasure, incessant torrents of tears fell from his eyes. He remained stunned in ecstasy, as if devoid of all powers to see and speak. Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is very kind to His devotees, raised Akrūra with His hand and embraced him.

Krsna Book 60:

Rukmiṇī was conscious that her husband was not an ordinary human being. He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of the three worlds. By the way He was speaking, she was afraid of being separated from the Lord, for she had never heard such harsh words from Kṛṣṇa before. Thus she became perplexed with fear of separation, and her heart began to palpitate. Without replying to a word of Kṛṣṇa's statement, she simply cried in great anxiety, as if drowning in an ocean of grief. She silently scratched the floor with her toenails, which reflected reddish light on the floor. The tears from her eyes mixed with the black cosmetic ointment from her eyelids and dropped down, washing the kuṅkuma and saffron from her breasts. Choked up on account of great anxiety, unable to speak even a word, she kept her head downward and remained standing just like a stick. Due to extremely painful fear and lamentation, she lost all her powers of reason and became weak, her body losing so much weight that the bangles on her wrists became slack.