Sanatana Dharma: Procedure, Manner and Forms of Salutation (Namaskaram) Though Hindu scriptures have definitely delineated certain forms of salutation and worship, numerous others have crept into practice through centuries of practice across India and globally. So, at present there are numerous forms of salutations and giving respect. Some of the important ones are given below along with the procedure of doing them. Pratyutthāna: Pratyutthāna is rising from one’s seat to receive a person. Pratyutthāna is must for everyone and it does not matter whether the person who is approaching is knowledgeable or ignorant, rich or poor, pure or impure and is in good physical condition or diseased. One should mandatorily rise to welcome everyone. One should not salute and receive the salutations while sitting. After getting up one should fold one’s hands and do namaskāra uttering at least ‘Namaste’ or ‘Praṇām’, give the visitor a chair to sit and offer that person at least a cup of water. However, one need not get up to those who are in an inebriated state, who has committed grievous sins, who are known thieves and the like. One need not get up and receive someone who is younger to oneself, if he / she do not qualify for respectful salutations on the five grounds listed above. Namaskāram: Namaskāram as a form of greeting and salutation is a very ancient one. The root ‘namaḥ’ occurs in the earliest of Vedic literature (Rg. X. 15.2). It is a simple way of paying respect. It is done in three ways, standing and folding one’s hand in greeting others, bowing with folded hands and complete prostration. It is done, respectively, to greet everyone, to salute and get the blessings of one’s guru and elders and in prostration expressing one’s surrender to a guru or God. Namaskāram as a form of Greeting: In greeting everyone, one has to stand up, vertically fold one’s hands, join one’s palms (so that one’s hands resemble she goat’s ears from the sides) and say ‘Praṇāms’ or ‘Namaste’ or any other Hindu greeting such as ‘Rām Rām’. The principle and spiritual significance of this way of greeting others is that the Life Force or Divine is same in everyone and one salutes actually the God inside the person that is being greeted. So, one should not superficially greet another, however hurried one is, and should pause for a second remember the oneness of self and salute before proceeding. Namaskāram as a Salutation to Elders: While saluting the elders, one’s teacher and other respected people of the society, it is impolite to merely stand and say Namaskāram while folding one’s hands. If the situation is not proper for complete prostration before the elders, then one should reverentially bow down while maintaining the Namaskāram posture. Even so, one should announce merely one’s name if it is in a public place or in front of group of people and should say ‘I salute.’ This way of reverential salutation is done to get the elders’ blessings. Hindus believe in the positive impact of good thoughts and auspicious words uttered by the elders on the recipient’s body and mind. Manu says (similar sentiment but in different context and with different terms occurs in Āpastamba and Baudhāyana as well) that the more one salutes the elders, teachers and other aged and learned persons, one’s life span, knowledge, fame and strength will also improve. Namaskāram should not be done with shoes on, while wearing a turban on the head and with one’s hands full. Namaskāram as a Prostration to God and Guru: Complete prostration is done to one’s parents, respected elders, one’s teacher, guru and in front of the images of God. Namaskāram as prostration can be either Aṣtāṅga or Pañcāṅga Namaskāram. Aṣtāṅga or eight limbed prostration is where a person prostrates completely with palms, stretched hands, forehead, chest, stomach, thighs, knees and feet firmly in contact with the ground. In Aṣtāṅga Namaskāram, if done to guru and elders, one should clasp the feet of the elders and guru and place one’s head on their feet. In Pañcāṅga Namaskāram a person first kneels down and then five places of the body comes into contact with the ground. Prostration is the acknowledgement of the superiority of and complete surrender to God or Guru. While prostrating one should focus one’s mind on the feet of God or Guru fervently so that one’s mind or ego should be completely absent, even if temporarily. Prostration to elders and guru should not be done on the road, in the house where death has taken place, when the person is grieving and to those who are unclean..
Posted on: Sun, 22 Jun 2014 09:28:45 +0000
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