Thread by @Sampadananda

#LearnSamskritam
Namaste. I welcome you all to this Sanskrit learning platform through Twitter chat. The unique hash tag created for this program is #LearnSamskritam. Let's begin our session with the word 'namaste'. This word is a combination of 'namas' and 'te'.

The word 'namas' means reverential salutation, homage, obeisance etc. The word 'te' means 'to you or (meant) for you'. The word ‘te’ is a short form of ‘tubhyam’. Grammatically this is the 4th case singular form of the personal pronoun ‘yuShmad’.

The word ‘namas’ is derived from the root-sound ‘nam’ and has a very deep meaning than what is usually understood by the words ‘namaskAra’, ‘namas-te’ namonamaH and ‘praNAma’. The root-sound ‘nam’ means ‘to bend or bow or submit oneself ’.

From this root experience, the general senses of the word ‘namas’ given in dictionaries are: bow, obeisance, reverential salutation, adoration etc. To bend also means to be plastic and flexible and elastic.

Think of the words like namanIya - ‘plastic’, namya - ‘bendable or pliant’. All these are derived from the root-sound nam. The actual meaning of doing namaskAra then is ‘to remain plastic in all parts of the being, to submit or surrender, to keep oneself open’.

In a deeper sense it means: There must be in no part of our being, anything that makes a reserve, anything that hides behind doubts and confusions, anything that revolts or refuses. A complete openness is demanded by ‘namaskAra’.

When we do namaskAra, no matter with what gesture we do it, all parts of our being must be free from any rigidity, obstinacy and reservation.We must be plastic enough to submit ourselves. Then only doing namaskAra can become a true act of submission and surrender to the divine.

Another very important word derived from the root-sound ‘nam’ is ‘nAma’ meaning name. The English word name, French nom and the Latin nomen too are the derivatives of the same root-sound.

Few other words derived from the root-sound ‘nam’:
namana - bending, bowing down, sinking
namasya - deserving homage, venerable or humble
namanIya - flexible, plastic, elastic, pliable

namya or naamya - pliant, flexible, bendable
namra and vinamra - inclining, stooping, bowed, bent, curved, hanging down, sunk, submissive, reverential, humble, modest
namo namaH - constant submission and surrendering to the Truth

Let’s learn the half of a verse from the Gita (bhagavadgita.org.in/Chapters/11/40)
namaḥ purastādatha pṛṣṭhataste
namo'stu te sarvata eva sarva.

Meaning of the verse mentioned: Salutation (namaḥ) to you (te) in front (purastAt) and behind (pṛṣṭhataḥ) and from every side (sarvataḥ), for Thou art each and all (sarva) that is.

For a full explanation of the word ''namas' please read my note here: bhagavadgita.org.in/Blogs/5ab0b05a…