Namaste According to the Scriptures:
Namaste and its common variants ‘namaskar,’ ‘namaskaara’ or
‘namaskaram’, is one of the five forms of formal traditional greeting mentioned
in the Vedas. This is normally understood as prostration but it actually refers
to paying homage or showing respect to one another, as is the practice today,
when we greet each other.
The Meaning of Namaste:
In Sanskrit the word is namah
+ te = namaste which means “I
bow to you” - my greetings, salutations or prostration to you. The word
‘namaha’ can also be literally interpreted as "na ma" (not mine). It
has a spiritual significance of negating or reducing one's ego in the presence
of another.
How to Namaste:
Bend the arms from the elbow upwards and face the two palms of the
hands. Place the two palms together and keep the folded palms in front of the
chest. Utter the word namaste and while saying the word bow the head slightly.
Why Namaste:
Namaste could be just a casual or formal greeting, a cultural
convention or an act of worship. However, there is much more to it than meets
the eye. The real meeting between people is the meeting of their minds. When we
greet one another with namaste, it means, ‘may our minds meet’, indicated by
the folded palms placed before the chest. The bowing down of the head is a
gracious form of extending friendship in love, respect and humility.
Spiritual Significance of Namaste:
The reason why we do namaste has a deeper spiritual significance.
It recognizes the belief that the life force, the divinity, the Self or the God
in me is the same in all. Acknowledging this oneness with the meeting of the
palms, we honor the god in the person we meet.
Namaste in Prayers:
During prayers, Hindus not only do namaste but also bow and close
their eyes, as it were, to look into the inner spirit. This physical gesture is
sometimes accompanied by names of gods like ‘Ram Ram’, ‘Jai Shri Krishna’,
‘Namo Narayana’, ‘Jai Siya Ram’ or just ‘Om Shanti’ – the common refrain in
Hindu chants. This is also quite common when two devout Hindus meet -
indicating the recognition of the divinity within ourselves and extending a
warm welcome to each other.
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