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The practice of washing the feet of one's husband and then drinking that water is prevalent across many Hindu communities.

A. Is this a compulsion for all married women?

B. Does it have scriptural sanction?

C. Which Devi has been mentioned to be the first one to observe this custom?

RGH
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1 Answers1

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B. Does it have scriptural sanction?

Yes, this is what Śiva Purāṇa says:

Chapter 54 - Description of the duties of the chaste wife

  1. Without the permission of her husband she shall not go even on pilgrimage. She shall eschew the desire to attend social festivities.

  2. If a women wants holy water she shall drink the same with which her husband’s feet have been washed. All holy rivers are present in that water.

  3. She shall partake of the leavings of her husband's food or whatever is given by him saying "This is thy great grace."

Say No To Censorship
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    FYI : the same rule applies to husbands drinking washing their parent's/guru's feet and partaking that water. Everyone has to show humility/devotion towards someone. If someone asks why not have wife partake her parent's/guru's feet's water and husband partake wife's feet's water, they can also ask why not parents wash and partake their children's feet's water. – ram May 16 '21 at 00:43
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    The relation between a parent and his/her offspring is not the same as that shared between a husband and wife – RGH May 29 '21 at 21:20