| "Vande 'ham means 'I am offering my respectful obeisances'. Vande. V-a-n-d-e. Vande means 'offering my respectful obeisances'. Aham. Aham means 'I'. Vande 'ham śrī-gurūn: all the gurus, or spiritual masters. The offering of respect direct to the spiritual master means offering respects to all the previous ācāryas. Gurūn means plural number. All the ācāryas. They are not different from one another. Because they are coming in the disciplic succession from the original spiritual master and they have no different views, therefore, although they are many, they are one. Vande 'ham śrī-gurūn śrī-yuta-pada-kamalam. Śrī-yuta means 'with all glories, with all opulence'. Pada-kamala: 'lotus feet'. Offering of respect to the superior begins from the feet, and blessing begins from the head. That is the system. The disciple offers his respect by touching the lotus feet of the spiritual master, and the spiritual master blesses the disciple by touching his head."
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