Why do we do Namaste?

July 28, 2008 at 10:47 am (Monday Learning)

          We, Indians greet each other with namaste. While saying the word namaste, our two palms are placed together infront of the chest and head bows towards the other person. We do namaste to all, means those older than use, of the same age, younger than us and also to strangers and even us.

          Actually, there are five forms of traditional formal greeting in the shaastras from which namaskar is one of them. Namaste can be casualised or formalised as a cultural convention or an act of worship. In Sanskrit namah+te = namaste. It means – I bow to you – my greetings, prostration or salutes to you. Namah is having spiritual significance of decreasing one’s ego in the presence of another as namah can be interpreted as “na” (not) “mah” (mine)

          When we meet each other physically, it is actually a real meeting of our minds. In this meeting when we say namaste with folded palms over the chest, it means as “may our minds meet.” The forward bowing of the head is to show a form of extending friendship inlove and humility.
   

          There is even much deeper meaning of doing namaste spiritually.  The self, the lord, the divinity or the force is the same in all. Understanding this oneness with the meeting of the palms, we respect the Divinity in the person we meet. We close our eyes sometimes as we do namaste to a, it me revered person or the Lord – as if to look within. The gesture is often accompanied by words like “Jai Shri Krishna“, “Namo Narayana“, “Jai Siya Ram“, “Om Shanti” etc – indicating the recognition of this divinity.

          When you know such significance of this graceful namaste, it does not remain as a superficial gesture or word but makes the way for a much deeper communication with other in an environment of love and respect.