Understanding Your Hindu Neighbour

 

Steve McGuire, from Faith Lutheran Church, introduced Prasad Banerjee. Prasad lives in Pickering and joined us to explain about his faith, Hinduism, one of the oldest faiths in existence. Before the formal introduction the proper way to greet and to leave someone from the Hindu Faith was explained to the group.  The greeting is called ‘Namaste’ or ‘namaskar’ It is one of the five forms of formal traditional greeting mentioned in the Vedas

The Meaning of Namaste

In Sanskrit the word is namah + te = namaste which means “I bow to you” - my greetings, salutations or prostration to you.  The word ‘namaha’ can also be literally interpreted as "na ma" (not mine).  It has a spiritual significance of negating or reducing one's ego in the presence of another.

How to Namaste

Bend the arms from the elbow upwards and face the two palms of the hands. Place the two palms together and keep the folded palms in front of the chest.  Utter the word namaste and while saying the word bow the head slightly.

Why Namaste

The real meeting between people is the meeting of their minds.  When we greet one another with namaste, it 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, respect and humility.

Spiritual Significance of Namaste

The reason why we do namaste has a deeper spiritual significance.  It recognizes the belief that the life force, the divinity, the Self or the God in me is the same in all.  Acknowledging this oneness with the meeting of the palms, we honor the god in the person we meet.

After this explanation, Prasad Banerjee  was formally introduced, and we all stood and welcomed him with the Hindu greeting of ‘Namaste’.

 

Click here to read Prasad Banerjee's talk on the Hindu Faith.