Meaning of Namaste

Namaste' or Namaskar' is the Indian way of greeting each other. In fact, Saying Namaste is veritable symbol of our Bhartiya Sanskriti. Wherever they are on the street, in the house, in public transport, on vacation or on the phone "when Hindus meet people they know or strangers with whom they want to initiate a conversation, Namaste is the customary courtesy greeting to begin with and often to end with. Namaste according to the scriptures: Namaste and its common variants Namaskar' or Namaskaram', is one of the five forms of formal traditional greeting mentioned in the Vedas. This is normally refers to paying homage or showing respect to one another, as is the practice today, when we greet each other. Definition: Literally, "I bow to you." It is used as a respectful greeting and also to mean thank you. When you say namaste, you press your palms together at your heart (also called "Anjali Mudra") and bow your head. 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. Namaste History: Namaste is a Hindi as well as Nepali word; therefore, it is used extensively in India and Nepal. Gassho is a term used for hand shake in Japan, which is their usual way of greeting. In the Punjabi speaking areas of India, Namaste word is used only for wishing the Hindus. Among the Punjabis, people greet by saying 'Sat Sri Akal'. Spiritual Significance of Namaste: The reason why we do namaste has a deeper spiritual significance. It signifies that: * Your spirit is the same as mine and therefore there is no difference between you and me. * I recognize the power of divinity that dwells in your heart. * My energy salutes the energy lying within you. * I welcome the place where you and I meet. Why to Say Namaste: Namaste could be just a casual or formal greeting or a cultural convention. 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. How to Say 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 (also called "Anjali mudra"). Utter the word namaste and while saying the word bow the head slightly. 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. Finally, earlier, lot of importance was attached to the bowing of head. In the rural areas, the old tradition of saying Namaste is still followed. However, in the metropolitans, the style has undergone a major transformation.