A term derived from Sanskrit, primarily used in Hinduism to describe a specific and rigorous form of devotional prostration or circumambulation (parikrama).
- Etymology: The word "Dandavati" (दण्डवति) is rooted in "danda" (दण्ड), meaning a stick, staff, or a full prostration, and "vati," indicating the act of performing or relating to. It often implies "like a stick," referring to the body lying flat on the ground.
- Forms of Practice:
- Dandavat Pranam (दण्डवत् प्रणाम): This is a full prostration where the devotee lies flat on the ground, face down, with their arms extended forward. It serves as an act of profound reverence, humility, and surrender to deities, spiritual teachers (gurus), or respected elders. It symbolizes the offering of one's entire body and ego at the feet of the divine or venerable.
- Dandavat Parikrama (दण्डवत् परिक्रमा): This is an exceptionally demanding form of circumambulation (walking around a sacred place, deity, or temple) where the devotee progresses by performing repeated full prostrations. The practitioner lies flat, marks the spot reached by their outstretched hands or head, then stands up, walks to that spot, and performs the next prostration from there. This process is repeated continuously to complete the entire circuit of the sacred area.
- Significance and Purpose:
- Humility and Surrender: Both forms are profound expressions of complete humility and surrender to a higher power, acknowledging one's own smallness in the face of the divine.
- Devotion (Bhakti): They represent intense acts of devotion (bhakti), demonstrating deep love and dedication to a spiritual path or deity.
- Penance (Tapasya): Dandavat parikrama, in particular, is often undertaken as a severe form of austerity (tapasya) or penance, demanding immense physical endurance, mental fortitude, and spiritual resolve.
- Purification: It is believed to purify the body, mind, and soul, and to assist in overcoming ego and worldly desires.
- Spiritual Merit: Practitioners frequently undertake dandavati practices as a vow (vrata) with the belief that it accrues significant spiritual merit (punya) and aids in achieving spiritual goals or fulfilling prayers.
- Cultural Context: Dandavati practices are commonly observed in temples, ashrams, and sacred pilgrimage sites throughout India, particularly within traditions such as Vaishnavism and Shaivism. Pilgrims often perform dandavat parikrama around holy mountains (like Govardhan Hill), sacred lakes, or the sanctum sanctorum of major temples.