Hinduism - What Is Namaskara?

 



 ("reverential greeting") Both a statement and a gesture used to politely welcome another person.

The gesture is performed by combining both palms, pointing the fingers up, and touching the chest with the base of the thumbs.

The fourteenth of sixteen customary upacharas ("offerings") made to a god as part of devotion, Namaskara treats the deity as an honored guest.

The god receives a gesture of reverence with this action, which may take a variety of forms, including uniting the palms with the fingers facing upward (anjali hasta), kneeling and putting one's head to the floor, or complete prostration (dandavat pranam).

The overarching goal of all upacharas is to demonstrate one's reverence and devotion for the god by attending to the deity's demands.

~Kiran Atma


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