Why Should We Prostrate before parents and elders?

In India the younger ones prostrate
before the elders and teachers and the elder
person blesses by touching the head with
hands or by smelling the crest. Touching the
feet in prostration is a sign of
respect for the age, maturity,
nobility and divinity that our
elders personify. It symbolizes
our recognition of their
selfless love for us and
the sacrifices they
have done for our
welfare. There is an anonymous saying that
respecting elders ensures longevity,
knowledge, fame and strength i.e. we gain by
the wisdom and accumulated experience of
the elders to a great extent and that serving
them ensures all success. To show our whole
hearted respects we bow to them. The
different forms of showing respect are :
Pratyuthaana - rising to welcome a
person.
Namaskaara - paying homage by
folding the palms together.
Upasangrahana - touching the feet.
Saashtaanga - prostrating fully with the
feet, knees, stomach, chest, forehead and
arms touching the ground in front of the
elder. (Done by Menfolk)
Panchanga - Prostrating with feet, knees
and head. (Done by Women)
Pratyabhivaadana - returning a greeting.
The form of prostration wherein the
feet, hands, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, head and
mind touch the ground is called Saashtaanga
Pranaama i.e. where eight limbs touch the
ground. This is a symbolic way of expressing
our complete attention to grasp the elder’s
teachings and commitment to follow them
through our organs of knowledge and action
involved in the prostration.