Why do we do Namaskaram to God and elders ?

Discussion in 'Chitvish on Hindu Culture & Vedanta' started by Chitvish, Sep 7, 2006.

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  1. May 6, 2008 #51
    pavithrasriram

    pavithrasriram Bronze IL'ite

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    dear chithu,
    wat a gr8 way to explain why we do namaskarams!!!!
    the way u have written it up is just too gud!!!!
    i knew that while doing namaskaram we surrender ourselves to the lord but the thing about surrendering ego and giving away ur troubles etc to the other person is a new explination that i have learnt today!!!i have always wondered abt the different namaskarams for men n women knew there was some gud reason behind and have learnt that now
    thank you for enlightening us!!!
    luv
    pavi
     
    pavithrasriram, May 6, 2008
    pavithrasriram, May 6, 2008
    #51
  2. May 7, 2008 #52
    Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Pavi,
    So, now you are finding time to go through old posts & educate yourselff?
    Great, Pavi & thanks.
    Love,
    Chithra.
     
    Chitvish, May 7, 2008
    Chitvish, May 7, 2008
    #52
  3. May 7, 2008 #53
    Ranganayaki

    Ranganayaki New IL'ite

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    Dear Ma'am,

    I am glad Pavi looked up this post , I got to read it and I must say you have educated me this morning!

    Attaching meaning to the customs really encourages following them more sincerely...

    Please keep sharing cultural informationIn the meanwhile, I shall look up your past contributions. :)

    Bowto you

    Ranganayaki
     
    Ranganayaki, May 7, 2008
    Ranganayaki, May 7, 2008
    #53
  4. May 7, 2008 #54
    Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Ranganayaki,
    I thank you as much as I thank Pavi ! :)
    I have given a list of posts on "why do we...."?
    Please go through them & understand the depth & beauty of our tradition & culture!
    Love,
    Chithra.
     
    Chitvish, May 7, 2008
    Chitvish, May 7, 2008
    #54
  5. May 7, 2008 #55
    VLR

    VLR Silver IL'ite

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    Dear Chitra mam

    It was a truely enlightening post...It so surprising we follow the traditions without ver understanding the rationale behind it. I guess that is the reason they are slowly dying..I think the line "If the inner feeling basic to it is absent, namaskaram is nothing more than a mere exercise for the body." sums it up beautifully..

    I do have one question though that has been bothering me for a long time.. Do you know the significance of the number of time we do namaskaram. for example, whenever I do namaskaram to elders my mother used to insist that I pray 4 times..
    My MIL also said the same thing.. Infact she will be watching me when I do namaskaram to God and if I stop with 2 , she will insist that I do two more.. ! I never really understood why.

    Is there any significance behind these numbers.. also I have seen that in vaishnavites, the vadakalais do namaskaram 2 or 4 times but thenkalais do only once...

    Once in my childhood I stopped with one and got a good dose from everybody that I dont know our customs :-(

    Thanks!
     
    Last edited: May 7, 2008
    VLR, May 7, 2008
    VLR, May 7, 2008
    #55
  6. May 7, 2008 #56
    Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear VLR,
    Thanks for your FB on this post.
    I do not know the significance of the no: - it is different for saivites & vaishnavites. Beyond that, I am not aware !
    Love,
    Chithra.
     
    Chitvish, May 7, 2008
    Chitvish, May 7, 2008
    #56
  7. May 8, 2008 #57
    pavithrasriram

    pavithrasriram Bronze IL'ite

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    dear chith,
    i get more spare time here and i am really happy that i am using it to learn few gud things about our own culture and traditions..i might still keep digging in to ur old posts so watch out for me!!!!
    luv
    pavi
     
    pavithrasriram, May 8, 2008
    pavithrasriram, May 8, 2008
    #57
  8. May 9, 2008 #58
    Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear VLR,
    I consulted an elderly friend yesterday about this query. She said:
    Normally saivites do only one namaskaram.
    Vaishnavites do 4 signifying one for each of the four letters in na-ra-ya-na.
    Since our shastras say there is divinity in everybody, it is done for human beings also to the God in each person.
    I think, this sounded satisfactory to me.
    Love,
    Chithra.



     
    Chitvish, May 9, 2008
    Chitvish, May 9, 2008
    #58
  9. May 9, 2008 #59
    VLR

    VLR Silver IL'ite

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    Chitra Mam..
    Thanks...after posting this query to you, for the last 2 days this question was constantly troubling my mind...In fact I tried to search the answer in google..But could not find any .You took so much trouble to clear my doubt.. Thank you very much..Now I can sleep in peace :)
    The explanation does sound very satisfactory..I am in US .. so we not have a separate pooja room here.. I just have a couple of small pictures of God on a table. Now I have cleared up all the space next to the table and I intend to perform namaskarams daily whole heartedly..It so different when we understand the meaning of what we are doing.. It is no longer a mere activity that is forced on us and it does give a strange peace of mind.
    I forwarded this post of your to my husband and have requested him to follow this as well. I dont want to force him to do that.. I want him to realize the importance of this himself and start following that. Thanks Chitra Mam.. You are really bringing in a lot of positive changes in my life and my heartfelt thanks to you..:bowdown
     
    VLR, May 9, 2008
    VLR, May 9, 2008
    #59
  10. May 10, 2008 #60
    Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear VLR,
    Thanks. Any change has to come from within oneself, for a long-lasting habit!
    Even to my children, I mention things only once & stop. I want them to think over it & go ahead, if they feel like.A second time reminder of anything to anybody makes them feel like, we are "nagging".
    I suggest you read all the general culture posts, I have written, more to understand how deep, meaningful & beautiful our culture is.
    On thinking to myself, perhaps, the single namaskaram of saivites is the basic philosophy of Advaitam!!
    Love,
    Chithra.
     
    Chitvish, May 10, 2008
    Chitvish, May 10, 2008
    #60
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