Shloka 25
सदाचार-नियमाः: शील, संयम, संग-निषेध, शुचिता, वाणी-नीति, परोपकारः
पादेन नाक्रमेत् पादं न पूज्याभिमुखं नयेत् वीरासनं गुरोर् अग्रे भजेत विनयान्वितः
pādena nākramet pādaṃ na pūjyābhimukhaṃ nayet vīrāsanaṃ guror agre bhajeta vinayānvitaḥ
With one’s foot one should never tread upon another’s foot; nor should one move about facing a venerable person as if confronting them. In the presence of the guru, one should sit in vīrāsana, endowed with humility and disciplined courtesy.
Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Guru-sevā and etiquette: bodily respect, non-confrontational movement, and proper seating (vīrāsana) before the teacher
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: authoritative
Concept: Humility is enacted through bodily etiquette—do not disrespect others physically, do not ‘confront’ the venerable, and sit properly before the guru with disciplined courtesy.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Practice embodied reverence: attentive posture in learning spaces, non-aggressive body language, and consistent respect toward teachers/elders.
Vishishtadvaita: Guru-sevā as a bhakti-limb: honoring the teacher supports surrender (prapatti) and receptivity to knowledge of the personal Brahman, Nārāyaṇa.
Bhakti Type: Dasya
FAQs
This verse frames vinaya as a visible discipline of body and behavior—restraint and respectful posture—by which dharma is preserved in daily life, especially before the guru.
He teaches concrete etiquette: avoid disrespectful bodily actions (like stepping on another’s foot or moving about in a confrontational manner) and sit properly (vīrāsana) with deference in the guru’s presence.
Though Vishnu is not named in this line, the Purana’s dharma-instructions function as supports for devotion and right understanding—disciplines that orient the student toward the Supreme Reality (Vishnu) through reverent learning.