When You Say “hello”, We Respond With our “namaste”
Author: Satish Nair
What we intended by “Namaste”, it is an Indian greeting gesture or salutation to display our respect to others, which is a gesture consisting of a small bow, while holding the palms together rose before the body. When meet a person of your own faith (mostly), we greet each other, regardless of the diversity of Hindu tradition, the underlying and unifying principle is that God resides within all beings. The greetings “Namaste” (Sanskrit), Namaskar (Hindi) and “Vanakkam” (Tamil) used by Indians to greet each other when they meet, where the three words mean; “I bow to You”, the “I” and the “You” refer to the divine identity and is an acknowledgment of the divinity and essential unity between them.
Namaste or Namaskara is the traditional Indian form of salutation. It is used while greeting friends and acquaintances as also while paying obedience to God. As a word it finds its place in the prayer to our different Gods, for instance we have Shri Ganeshaya Namaha, Aum Namaha Shivaya, Krishnaya Tubhyam Namaha etc.
Namaste could be a mixture of Namsya (or Namaha), which means “you” or “to you”. Thus Namaste as a mixture of Namasyate could be translated as obedience to you. Namaste involves the joining together of both palms at the level of the breast. If the person being greeted is a senior or if it is addressed to God, the Namaste is accompanied with a slight bow. This bow can be termed a slight one for it is only a downward inclination of the head unlike the Japanese bow where the body is bent at right angles at the hip.
The origin of this graceful and modest form of greeting can only be guessed. The meaning of Namaste implies a submission of one person to another, especially when a younger person greets an elder person and in that context, Namaste is as a salutation, which could be an acknowledgment of submission or surrender of one person to another. Hence, it would not be wrong to assume that Namaste was in fact a declaration of submission. The fact that both hands have to be displayed to the person being greeted could have its origin in the practice that when a person submits to another or when two strangers hail each other they have to prove that they are unarmed and that their intentions are peaceful.
This inference may sound incredible, but social anthropologists have established that different types of mutual greetings and salutations have originated in actions of two or more persons (facing each other) which aim at proving that all of them are unarmed and that they come in peace. The origin of the handshake has also been found to be a similar one. More so, the human smile also is considered to have originated as a sign of submission. Incidentally, this form of greeting has been transmitted from ancient India to the countries of South-east Asia.
Namaste involves the joining together of both palms at the level of the breast. If the person being greeted is a senior or if it is addressed to God, the Namaste is accompanied with a slight bow. This bow can be termed a slight one for it is only a downward inclination of the head unlike the Japanese bow where the body is bent at right angles at the hip. The origin of this graceful and modest form of greeting can only be guessed. Its literal meaning is an indication of it origin. Namaste could be an amalgam of Namsya (or Namaha) meaning obeisance and ‘Te’ which means you or to you. Thus Namaste as an amalgam of Namasyate could be translated as obeisance to you.
In every greeting situation, two or more persons come in contact. Every greeting situation involves a “protocol of encounter,” which is characterized by an opening move in the form of a statement, a gesture. Modes of greetings are related to sociolinguistic parameters like age, sex, status and interpersonal relationships, etc. A greeter uses greeting forms appropriate to particular situations by taking into account these sociolinguistic factors. Greeting is not to be regarded as merely a usage of certain norms but it is a social ritual which is governed by the situation in which the greeter says what is expected by the one being greeted.
The greeting formula is intimately connected with the classification and status differences among people on the one hand and on the other intimacy also plays an important role here. Modes of greeting vary from culture to culture and from person to person. In Oriental culture a greeting is an affirmation of one’s belief and is a recitation of the name of the Lord, as one sees Him. The utterance of the name of the Lord is said to be sufficient to make the day / morning / evening good for both the persons – the person conveying greetings and the person receiving greetings.
RAM-RAM or JAI SHRI KRISHNA
or HARE KRISHNA or JAI SHRI RAM or JAI SIYA RAM are some of the common greetings in Hindus. All of them have name of a deity and either proclaim the victory of the said deity or declare the said deity to be GOD. Sikhs say SAT SHRI AKAL, which means that Truth is the God and is timeless. Sikhs also say WAHE GURUJI KA KHALSA, WAHE GURUJI KI FATEH. These are declarations that the ultimate victory will be of the Guru and his followers. Muslims say KHUDA HAFIZ, which means Khuda (Almighty) is the Protector.
In all the above Oriental Greetings, persons exchanging greetings, arouse a principle or thought or belief, which forms bondage between the persons. In no case, does one make a direct wish to the other. Both persons start with a common premise which is generally a statement of their own egos and identities. Their individual egos and identities are submerged in the identity of Larger than Life Reality which both persons accept as sacred. Being a part of the same larger than Life Reality, gives a sense of oneness and is the beginning of a harmonious relationship.
While greeting with a NAMASKAR, we announce a complete absence of arrogance; we accept that we are practically nobodies while the almighty is the Ultimate Being. We see ourselves as a part of this unlimited being. The reality is this infinity and role of each one of us is only a small beep on this time-space continuum.
Let us consider the greetings in the global business context; doing business around the world has been streamlined with telephone calls, e-mails and video conferences. But the importance of a personal meeting with associates and clients will never be replaced by modern technology. At times the meeting will be between, or among, trusted colleagues who have done business together for years. At other times, a first meeting will be taking place with the hope of establishing a beneficial and rewarding relationship. When a meeting is scheduled with people from other cultures, it is wise to be aware of that culture. To establish a professional tone for the meeting and make a good first impression, become familiar with the standard greeting for the country, or the cultural group within the country, you will be meeting.
The handshake is used as a greeting throughout the world. In western countries it is the standard, and in other countries it has replaced the more traditional greeting. For countries that may use the handshake, in addition to a traditional greeting, it is nice to know both. Then, when greeting the other person, pause and wait for a clue as to which greeting you should use. Men are safe in extending a hand to another man. However, the rules may change when a man greets a woman; or a woman greets a man, or even another woman.
By a handshake we acknowledge our equality with others. We reveal our humanity. We convey how strong we are, how nervous, how aggressive or passive. There is bold physicality to it. For these and other reasons, Popes never shake hands. Kings never shake hands. Even mothers don’t shake hands with their own children. Whereas when we greet another the real meeting between people is the meeting of their minds, we do so with namaste, which 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 and humility. When we know this difference significance, our greeting does not remain just a superficial gesture or word but paves the way for a deeper communion with another in an atmosphere of equality, love and respect.
Do not hesitate when greeting others, by a “Namaskar / Namaste / Khuda Hafiz / Sat Shri Akal or a handshake, as they have broader meaning than just an action of bowing or shake our hands.
