In a well-known episode it so transpired that the great lover god Krishna made away with the clothes of unmarried maidens, fourteen to seventeen years of age, bathing in the river Yamuna. Their fervent entreaties to him proved of no avail. It was only after they performed before him the eternal gesture of namaste was he satisfied, and agreed to hand back their garments so that they could recover their modesty.

The gesture (or mudra) of namaste is a simple act made by bringing together both palms of the hands before the heart, and lightly bowing the head. In the simplest of terms it is accepted as a humble greeting straight from the heart and reciprocated accordingly.

Namaste is a composite of the two Sanskrit words, nama, and te. Te means you, and nama has the following connotations:

• To bend
• To bow
• To sink
• To incline
• To stoop

All these suggestions point to a sense of submitting oneself to another, with complete humility. Significantly the word 'nama' has parallels in other ancient languages also. It is cognate with the Greek nemo, nemos and nosmos; to the Latin nemus, the Old Saxon niman, and the German neman and nehman. All these expressions have the general sense of obeisance, homage and veneration. Also important here is to note that the root 'nama' is a neuter one, the significance of which will be elaborated upon later.

The word nama is split into two, na and ma. Na signifies negation and ma represents mine. The meaning would then be 'not mine'. The import being that the individual soul belongs entirely to the Supreme soul, which is identified as residing in the individual towards whom the namaste is directed. Indeed there is nothing that the soul can claim as its own. Namaste is thus the necessary rejection of 'I' and the associated phenomena of egotism. It is said that 'ma' in nama means death (spiritual), and when this is negated (na-ma), it signifies immortality.

The whole action of namaste unfolds itself at three levels: mental, physical, and verbal.

It starts with a mental submission. This submission is in the spirit of total surrender of the self. This is parallel to the devotion one expresses before a chosen deity, also known as bhakti. The devotee who thus venerates with complete self-surrender is believed to partake the merits or qualities of the person or deity before whom he performs this submission. There is a prescription in the ancient texts known as Agamas that the worshipper of a deity must first become divine himself, for otherwise worship as a transaction would become invalid. A transaction can only be between equals, between individuals who share some details in common. Hence by performing namaste before an individual we recognize the divine spark in him. Further by facilitating our partaking of these divine qualities, namaste makes us aware of these very characteristics residing within our own selves. Simply put, namaste intimates the following:

'The God in me greets the God in you
The Spirit in me meets the same Spirit in you'

In other words, it recognizes the equality of all, and pays honor to the sacredness of all.

Translated into a bodily act, namaste is deeply rich in symbolism. Firstly the proper performance of namaste requires that we blend the five fingers of the left hand exactly with the fingers of the right hand. The significance behind this simple act in fact governs the entire gamut of our active life. The five fingers of the left hand represent the five senses of karma, and those of the right hand the five organs of knowledge. Hence it signifies that our karma or action must be in harmony, and governed by rightful knowledge, prompting us to think and act correctly.

By combining the five fingers of each hand, a total of ten is achieved. The number ten is a symbol of perfection, and the mystical number of completion and unity. It is true for all ancient traditions. Ten is the number of the Commandments revealed to Moses by God. In the Pythagorean system, ten was a symbol of the whole of creation. Ancient Chinese thought too thought of ten as the perfectly balanced number.

Another significant identification of namaste is with the institution of marriage, which represents a new beginning, and the conjoining of the male and female elements in nature. Marriage is a semi-divine state of wholeness - a union between the opposite principles of male and female necessary to crate and protect new life. The idea of human divine association was often expressed in terms of marriage, as in the description of nuns as "brides of Christ". Thus in the exhaustive marriage rituals of India, after the elaborate ceremonies have been completed, the new husband and wife team perform namaste to each other. Wedding customs, full of symbolic meanings, attempt to ensure that marriages are binding, hence fruitful and happy. Namaste is one such binding symbolic ritual. The reconciliation, interaction and union of opposites is amply reflected in this spiritual gesture. It is hoped that the husband and wife team too would remain united, as are the hands joined in namaste. By physically bringing together the two hands, namaste is metaphorically reconciling the duality inherent in nature and of which the marriage of two humans is an earthly manifestation, a harmonious resolution of conflicting tensions. Thus namaste, which symbolizes the secret of this unity, holds the key to maintaining the equilibrium of life and entering the area where health, harmony, peace and happiness are available in plenty.

In this context, namaste is equated with the image of Ardhanarishvara, the hermaphrodite form symbolizing the marriage of Shiva and Parvati, or the coming together of the parents of the universe, for the purpose of creation. In this form Shiva has his beloved spouse engrafted in his body. It is conjectured that by wresting from her husband one half of his body as her own, and herself commingling in his physical frame, Parvati has obtained an ideal, archetypal union with her husband. Indeed which couple could be more devoted than the one which finds completion only by merging into each other? By merging her creative aspect with him, Parvati balances Shiva's destructive urge. Similarly when Ardhanarishvara dances, the dance step is itself believed to be a combination of two principal and antagonistic styles of dance. 'Tandava', the fierce, violent dance, fired by an explosive, sweeping energy, is a delirious outburst, precipitating havoc. On the other hand is 'lasya', the gentle, lyrical dance, full of sweetness, and representing the emotions of tenderness and love. It is in the lasya of the goddess that death is annihilated and turned into transformation and rejuvenation, rebirth and creation. The image of Ardhanarishvara is thus the perfect master of the two contrary elements in the manifested universe. Such an ideal, perfect marriage is the message of namaste. Thus is 'nama', the root of namaste, of neuter gender, as is Ardhanarishvara, the androgyne.

Namaste recognizes the duality that has ever existed in this world and suggests an effort on our part to bring these two forces together, ultimately leading to a higher unity and non-dual state of Oneness. Some of these dual elements which the gesture of namaste marries together and unifies as one are:

HACE UNOS DIAS VINO A MI CABEZA LA PALABRA NAMASTE.UNO DE MIS COMPAÑEROS DE TRABAJO ME CONTO KE CERCA DE LA EMPRESA HABIA UNA CASA KE LLEVABA ESE NOMBRE FORMADA POR CONCHAS DE CARACOL.LA PALABRA SE REPITIO EN MI CABEZA DURANTE DIAS.
AL LEER ESTE ARTICULO L ASORPRESA FUE HERMOSA.HE PACTICADO YOGA Y MEDITACION EN RATOS LIBRES.
SE KE SOMOS PARTE DE UN TODO .AGRADEZCO ESTE ARTICULO PORKE ME AYUDO A ENTENDER EL MENSAJE KE HE RECIBIDO.
BENDICONES .
DESDE URUGUAY VISTORIANA
- VICTORIANA

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Namaste! So complete in concept and acknowledgement of the spirit that is the eternal spirit. A true connection to that which we all call the eternal one, in one from or another.
- Ann

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Beautifully stated,containing cogent observations about what is Godly,and how ignorance perverts purity.
Thank you for a most informative and enjoyable read.
- Nannaellie

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holly!
- namaste

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You have explained the spiritual aspect of "Namasthe" very well. Please keep on writing. May God bless you.

www.amiahindu.com
- AM I A HINDU? (aamiahindu@yahoo.com)

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My hats off to Nitin Kumar for sharing this inspiring article that opens up our hearts, minds, & souls, and teaches us to honor others as well as the universe. Its about time to awaken our spirits and realize that we are all one. NAMASTE.


- mon_ami (mon_ami888@yahoo.com)

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I feel peacful now...... NAMASTE!!!!!!!!!!!
- Anna

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Congratulations
- Poojanun Namah

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Let me see it.
- Poojanun

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The reviewon Namaste is great. I am of Indian origin--African bornand did not know'Namaste' that well by meaning-- afriend in USAgave me the full meaningand I feel I know better now and am proud to be Indian-- Nmaste
- Inder Bajaj

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It is very beautiful to see how an article such as this describing the word Namaste, the actions and its meaning has such apparent energy that it has provoked so many loving responses! Is that not proof of its work? I think that the story about Krishna is misunderstood in the responses I read. One must not see the actions of Krishna as actions of a 'regular' man (also, Krishna often pulled 'tricks' on people to highlight in them their own restraints keeping them from peace, light, love and truth). People say the story shows him 'leering' at naked teenagers makes him questionable as a God, but one must try to understand him as a God. To imply that this action is inherently sexual, doesn't allow for the understanding that he is a God after all-and nakedness does not have to be inherently sexual, it is society that makes this so if nakedness is understood this way. I also disagree that he is demanding honours from the women or that it is their clothing that gives them modesty, when in fact he asks them to honour themselves by recognizing their modesty while unclothed. Being naked is not indignant, it is a recognition of us as we are made by God, a reflection of God, a reflection of the beauty of God, it is the thoughts of man that make nakedness indignant, but it is not so inherently. Also Krishna was the great lover God, and people seem to think that this is somehow improper of a God to be the representation of lover, when I think it is in this union between two that duality is in fact made into oneness in the act of sex. This is a way that husband and wife become all elements of being together at once- hence Namaste as it relates to the institution of marriage, Namaste also relates to the act of sex being a fulfillment of the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical. To say Krishna is a lover God does not mean that he is a God of carnal pleasures, only the minds of people make that so if they wish, but that is not what sex has to mean, and personally I don't think it does. Also, we must not forget the context of time in which this story is told, I do not think the age of the girls has much to do with anything other than the social norm of what age girls, or women would marry in that era, which was very young. In society, unmarried also was significant in other ways than it is today- probably back then being unmarried in itself implied some kind of immodesty (as it still does in some ways today), and this symbolizes the beautiful fact that women are not modest because husbands or men or others make their form so, but because women too are all relatives to all others, and inherently are with dignity and modesty in form, in mind, and spirit, in the equal reflection of God as any other, be it male or married female. Nakedness itself is not immodest, or improper, it is the minds of people that make nakedness something improper if it is thought to be so. It is very interesting to read how people apply their perceptions to symbolisms, and thus are (in my view) restrained, and fail to see the essential meanings in the symbolism of this piece. This is infact a mirror, in which what we see in this piece is more of a reflection of ourselves, and not of the God figure or actions percieved. Which is what God is, isn't it? seeing the reflection of oneness in our way, and in us, our best selves? I do not think that finding God is seperate from finding our best selves.
Namaste
- Vanessa

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Namaste!
- moira

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Namaste,
I love the article. I read a book called "Reverence" which unfortunately uses other cultures as example when this article is exactly on point.

Respectully,
- Safiq

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I felt at peace reading this. Namaste ! to the universe !
- Arashaad

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I want to say thank you so much for this article... I think it's wonderful and inspiring... I have been translated it to Portuguese to send to my yoga's teacher and classmates!!! I'm sure everybody will enjoy it!!!
The world needs NAMASTE!!!
- Patricia (Brazil)

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namaste is beautiful. I felt peace and contentment while reading this story and voicing the word namaste. Thank you for all the information. It really helped me to understand the true meaning of the gesture and the word
-Heather
- Heather (h3rich@comcast.net)

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"I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides, I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace. I honor the place in you where if you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us." I love that, thanks!
Pilar
- Pilar

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(Oops, meant to send my previous input to Andy,) here's my real input to the website:

'The God in me greets the God in you The Spirit in me meets the same Spirit in you' - I like definition very much, thank you. Today I felt inspired to use the word and thought to look it up in Google. I also enjoyed reading Andy's input, which is in the feedbacks, and I quote:"I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides, I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace. I honor the place in you where if you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us." - Andy (awakening_of_life@yahoo.com) - Unquote.


Thanks for the thorough informative research of Namaste!
Namaste,
Pilar
- Pilar

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Namaste
- kyle (kdn003@shsu.edu)

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Namaste to All,

I went through this article and find it quite interesting. After reading the article I went through the comments of people and I realized that people have really enjoyed reading this article.

Initially when I started reading the article, I didn't feel very comfortable as Krishna is mentioned as lover god. Krishna exhibits many attributes and hence idea of branding him on the basis of 'lover' attribute is not totally fair. Secondly, it wasn't that Krishna was blackmailing the Gopis for returning the clothes. Few feedbacks for this article have tried to explain that fact. If someone is more interested, I am posting two links below, one is a brief explanaiton on this matter and other link is a english translation of religious scripture which explains the same thing with a proper reasoning.

http://www.santosha.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=30

http://www.vedabase.net/sb/10/22/en1

Namaste :)
- NS

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Namaste. :)
- kapp

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Thank you for the wealth of knowlege.
I am getting namaste tattoed on the back of my neck today in the Hindu lettering
- Melissa (marmy2004@comcast.net)

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thankyou for teaching the world about,
NAMASTE ! I have NAMASTE tattoed
across my knuckles.Living in the USA,
this concept is unheard and needs more
education!
- paul (503)

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The underground culture exists in America, the anarchist movement it is sometimes referred to. This is found in the cd book of an underground band called 'Zegota'. "When we meet and part we often say "namaste", which means I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides, I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace. I honor the place in you where if you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us."
- Andy (awakening_of_life@yahoo.com)

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I really did enjoy this article. In junior college my professor a, shauman used to use this term. At 18 I didn't care too much for spiritualism and I was blinded by the one way street religion I belonged to. I completely love this article. It does not denounced anyone's beliefs...nor say that one is right or wrong. This article is representative of how things, in my opinion "should be". We should all great with Namaste, and end with Namaste...with respect that everyone has different beliefs and points of views. I do not believe that Satan is infusing me with lies because I choose to accept everyones point of view...in fact, according to Christianity, wouldn't Jesus accept everyone too? Love it! Thank you, I am happy to have stumbled on to it.
Namaste,

April
- April

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I would like to read this article.
Namaste.
- Mauro

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Thankyou Nitin Kumar - Editor. I found this information very easy to read and understand. Namaste. Star.
- Star

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I am wondering if namaste isn't simply a sandhi (join) of two words naman (think of, appreciate, am aware of, believe in, am mindful of etc) + tay (you). This kind of sandhi is quite popular in sanskrit
- Adi (dude_ns_79@hotmail.com)

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the article abt namaste is very enlightening. well researched...hands off!!!

it just seems stupid/crazy when it comes to the story abt krishna. you cannot demand such gesture with their clothes on your hand. ..very un godly if i may say so. it seems that krishna is levelled to that of a macho sexist egotripping male chauvinist pig that this normal society has...the story cld be wrong though..heheh
- kris

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Really a fantastic article. A must to read by everyone. Thanks alot for bringing up this article. I just happend to get into this website from google. The artciles are very thoughtful, enlightening and knowledgable. I really appreciate the way the article has been taken through.

Hats Off !!

- Venu
- Venugopal

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I do like this page and find it amazingly wonderful

- thienhuong163

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Perhaps the philosophical significance of the seeminly risque legend of Krishna ansd the bathing maidens is the lesson of honouring those who wrong you. The maidens had every right to be indignant but, remember, nothing is more selfless than the sincere love of one's enemy. Krishna playfully illustrates this.

Namaste,
Peter
- Peter

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Hi,
I have doubts about the sincerity as well as the enlightenment of this greeting that Krishna (according to story) would "demand" of naked teens in order to give their clothing back.

It's one thing to give respect from a willing heart. It's another thing to demand respect of those you are leering at (no doubt with the best of motives) from a tree.

As a male, I can see no particularly high motives for stealing young women's garments or for wishing them to bow to me in an undressed state.
- Dave

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While reading an article today In it was mentioned Sanskrit Greeting. I learned about the Sanskirt by going into the internet. I found the article so interesting. I wish it were practiced in America. The greeting has such precious meaning. Hilda Miller
- Hilda Miller

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I agree with your comment. Unfortunately, some obviously do not know what "covet" means. I do not see your response as coveting anyone's opinion or denying his/her right to it. But unless you judge the spirit by the Spirit and evaluate every doctrine by the Truth, it is easy to be swayed and accept every philosophy that sounds good.
- Good point

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yo
Teresa Williams-
Exodus 20:17
"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

it's the last part that is releevent your neighbor also is entitled to a God View, and you sound a bit upset cause they do.
but it's all good. I see the spirit in you(Namaste)

- knowmad

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My challenge, trying to find a healthful, centering place within after recent events (the American election on November 2, 2004) and the present war situations which cause so many of humankind to despise one another, was assisted greatly via this article.
It also helps me to understand the previously foreign concept of this greeting which I have heard and read so often but which I could not grasp.
Many thanks for such a clearly written and detailed article :-)

Namaste
- Wayne (enway@minister.com)

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READ TIMOTHY 2:5 & EXODUS 20:3...Then you will be able to handle the information that is written here regarding "Namaste" with clarity. Of course I say this to a true believer because without the power of the HOLY SPIRIT with in you'll NOT have the power to discern truth from a lie. Satan the destroyer of life and the life to come mixes just enough truth to get you to believe a lie. If you areNOT a believer in our LORD JESUS CHRIST please, read JOHN 3:16. RECEIVE THE POWER THAT IS NEEDED TO OVER COME ALL LIES.
- TERESA WILLIAMS (grandmammommie@ev1.net)

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Excellent article. This good for Real Bharat. All religions must be learn with Hinduism, because all REAL KNOWLEDGE is VEDIC-ARYAN-DRAVIDIC. The Sub-Continent of Bharat was a Boat that travel around all the Earth, and left in each land a lot of Knowledge. Today This SACRED LAND is a CONTINENT TEMPLE, WHERE ALL PEOPLE AND RELIGIONS HAVE THEIR PLACE. A child must respect FATHER-MOTHER=SHAKTI-SHIVA=DHARO-BHARAT. JAY JAY ATMA-OM.
- Octavio Po

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Great article! I have added it to the section on Hinduism in the Web Directory at http://www.TheFourPrecepts.com
- Wayne Ferguson

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Namaste
- blogger111 (BCfreak@aol.com)

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I'm interested to find out how the author found the Germanic language connection. Neman or nehman is not a german word. Nehmen however, is a word which means "to take or accept." This is interesting because it suggests the opposite of the self abnegation of "na ma." Just a thought
- Jon

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I enjoyed your article very much. When ever I see the NAMASTE written it thrills me to my center - I don't understand why. Last fall when it was time to re-register my vehicle I decided to look into a specialty plate with NAMASTE - had to take a number (only 2 left) so chose my birthdate 5. A construction worker approached me today in a grocery store parking lot while transferring my groceries and asked what it meant. He had been trying to figure it out while I was buying my groceries and couldn't. I explain to people that it is a greeting from the oldest language Sankrit and translates something like "The Divine in me recognizes and honors the Divine in you" He thanked me for explaining that I had made his day. I, also, thanked him for asking and making my day. Namaste,
- Barbara Conn

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Namaste!
Thank you very much for a well-written, thoughtful and entertaining article. I had brought up the possibility of including Namaste between my fiance and I in our upcoming wedding, and this article helped me very much in explaining to him the concept and the way in which it matches our inner feelings and center. Your work is much appreciated, thank you!
- Becca

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Here is an article I read about "Namaste" which was presented as fact:

Albert Einstein was fasinated by Mohandas Gandhi. He watched newsreel after newsreel of Gandhi's doings in India. having seen Gandhi greet people in the street with his hands placed together, as if in prayer, and with a bow, he wondered what Gandhi was saying (newsreels had no sound in those days). Einstein wrote Gandhi and asked him what he was saying. The simple reply: "Namaste." Einstein then wrote again to ask the meaning of this hindu word, "Namaste", and the reply was: "I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides. I honor the place in you of light, love, truth, peace and wisdom. I honor the place in you where, when you are in that place, and I am in that place, there is only one of us."
- Frank Rowlette

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Thanks for wondeful article. All the articles in this website are full of knowledge and educational. I love your this website and recommend my friends this for their knowledge and papers.
Thanks for excellent work.
Wish you all the best...
- Dinesh Sharma

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Thanks for the well researched article. It helped me a ton with a paper I'm writing for college. Peace out!
- Shane

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It was great reading about the 'namaste'. I didn't know that such significance existed. Congratulations on your research and article. It was so full of info yet crisp and interesting. Keep up the good work.
- Rakhee

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Oh! what a wonderful article. Challenge is, how to make aware Indians of their rich Indianess?
- Satish

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Excellent article about the geeting of gods and humans, about modesty and respect we owe to each other.
Cristina Vintilă
- Cristina Vintilă

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