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NAMASTE.........THE BEAUTIFUL SENTIMENTS BEHIND A SMALL WORD....
The Merriam Webster dictionary defines Namaste as under:-
" The Sanskrit phrase namaste is formed from namaḥ, meaning “bow, obeisance, adoration,” and the enclitic pronoun te, meaning “to you.” The noun namaḥ, in turn, is a derivative of the verb namati, which means “(she or he) bends, bows."
About Namaste, Dr S.S.Tosahkhani, the well known Scholar says this:-
" The etymology of the word is simply ‘namas’ (नमस्), meaning bowing, salutation, obeisance + ‘te’ (ते) meaning ‘to you’. ‘Namas’ changes to ‘Namah’ (नम:) and ‘namo’ (नमो) in composition. The word ‘namaste’ is not found in any Sanskrit dictionary because Namaskar is the standard form of salutation."
So , namaste literally means ‘I bow to you.’ However ,there is a broader and divine meaning and interpretation of the word Namaste.This interpretation comes from the Hindu belief that God resides in everyone.
Accordingly to B. K. S. Iyengar,
" Namaste is a sincere gesture from somewhere deep within the soul. It is acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another."
The Upnishads say that the light within one individual acknowledges the light present in another as both reflect the light of the same supreme soul. Thus while Namaste is a form of greeting, it is essentially an acknowledgement of the all pervading presence of the supreme reality. A person saying Namaste also conveys to the other person that they are the parts of the same reality. Some scholars have also given below listed interpretations of Namaste:-
(1) I bow to the place in you that is love, light, and joy.
(2)When you and I bow to our true nature, we are one.
(3) My soul recognizes your soul
(4) We are the same, we are one.
(5) I honour the place in you that is the same as it is in me.
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev says this :-
" When you see a person, whether it is in your workplace, on the street, at home or anywhere else, the nature of human intellect is such that the moment it sees, it will make a judgment – “This is okay in that person, this is not okay in that person. He is good, he is not good, he is beautiful, he is ugly” – all kinds of things. You do not even have to consciously think all this. These assessments and judgments happen in a moment, and your judgments may be completely wrong because they all are coming from your past experiences of life. They will not allow you to experience something or someone the way they are right now, which is very important. If you want to work effectively in any field, if someone comes in front of you, it is most important to be able to grasp them the way they are right now. How they were yesterday does not matter. How they are this moment is important.
The moment you place your hands together, and say namaskar , your dualities, your likes and dislikes, your cravings and aversions, are all leveled out because you recognize the source of creation within them. This is the intention behind doing Namaskar."
Both namaskar and namaste have the same root word in Sanskrit: namas, which means “bowing or homage.” Namaskar is made up of the root words namas and kara, meaning “doing".
In the US, I observed that the religious and secular culture come together with the increasing use of word Namaste.
Namaste...
(Avtar Mota)
SOME COMMON BHAJANS AND LEELAS SUNG OR RECITED BY KASHMIRI PANDITS
Apart from devotional Stutis and hymns ( composed by Adi Sankara, Abhinavgupta and other saints and philosophers) in Sanskrit like kalpa vriksh bhakt rakhshe namos-tateh gajananam, vyapat charachar bhaav vishesham, karpoor-govaram karunavtaaram, shivoham shivoham shivoham shivoham, nagendra-haaraaye trilochanaaye, atibhishan katu- bhaashan yamakinkar Patli, jai narayan jai purushotam jai vaaman kansaare, achutam keshvam ramnarayanam, bhaja govindam bhaja govindam, gaureem aambam ambhuru-haksheem ahamidiye, ya devi sarv-bhuteshu, panchastavi, mahimnapaar,indrakshi naamsa deevi, shaantakaaram bhujagashayanam ( Vishnu Stuti ) almost every Hindi Bhajan or prayer or Stuti was recited in Kashmiri Pandit households and families. I specifically remember the immense popularity of om jai jagdish hare, sri hanuman chaalisa, jai ganesh jai ganesh jai ganesh deva, jai shiv omkaara, sri ram chandra kripalu bhajman , aarti kunjbihari ki, jab sonp diya iss jeevan ka sab bhaar tumhaare haathon mein and itnaa to karna swami jab praan tan se nikalein amongst Kashmiri Pandits. I also remember how we would recite Kashmiri Leelas, prayers, and Devi Stutis in our families during Puja, Homa, marriage rituals and also inside shrines and temples. Remembering all this has proved of enormous utility for our cultural and civilizational continuity, especially during the exile of the Kashmiri Pandit community.
In Kashmir, I vividly remember how every Saturday night, Bhajan Mandlis performed night-long Bhajan / Keertan in some shrines and temples. During my childhood, I was taken to these devotional singing sessions at Hari Parbat and Pokhribal by my father or Ritch Maal, a pious lady in our Mohalla. The night-long tea sessions with Kashmiri bakery were also a temptation in these Bhajan Mandlis. Every Bhajan or Leela was started with a Lal-Vaak ( verse of Lal Ded ). Children were invariably made to join and recite in every Bhajan / Keertan session held in their families. That is how elders passed on the traditions, rituals and culture to us. That is how most of us remember the devotional poetry of Lal Ded, Krishen Joo Razdan, Parmanand, Prakash Ram, Master Zinda Kaul and others. I remember below listed thirty Kashmiri Bhajans, prayers and Leelas that were popular in every Kashmiri Pandit household:-
(1)
‘Aamitch manas ritch vaasana
Ishwar safal kari-na- sana’…..(Master Zinda Kaul)
( A good desire has sprung up from my heart,
Would the Lord be kind to me and fulfil it.)
(2)
‘Az vaati boozum mol myon
Kosam vatan vatha-raavasai’….(Master Zinda Kaul )
( I heard my master, my Guru or my father is to arrive today,
Here I decorate his path with flowers )
(3)
‘Aasaai sharan kartam daya
Om shri ganesh aye namaah’….( Krishen Joo Razdan )
( Here I take refuge under your feet,
O Sri Ganesha, glory be to your name,
Be kind to me.)
(4)
‘Aadhaar zagatuk kunuyi chhu mantar
Shivaaye namah om namaah shivaaye’….( Krishen Joo Razdan )
( There is only one mantra
fundamental to this universe,
Recite shiva's name,
And shiva be recited .)
(5)
‘Kasht kaastam bhagwan harey
Santusht roztam gari garey’
( Free me from the worries and troubles,
My Lord, remain kind to me at every moment. )
(6)
‘Gataa kaastam tse baastam tchavaapari
Hey sadashiv shankar trishuldhaari’
( Dispel this darkness that lies all around me,
O Sadashiva!
O Shankara,
O trident carrying Lord .)
(7)
‘Tarvun chhu karnov
Haq dith chhu vanaan
Kaanh maa-sa tariv apour’….(Master Zinda Kaul )
( The ferry boat is about to leave
The boatman cries loud,
" Is there anyone who would like to go across the river? ")
(8)
‘Dil pholli darshan chaaney
Soora-matya sorfa Gosaaney’
( At your sight,
this heart would get
filled with immense joy,
O ash smeared Sadhu(Shiva) !
O sadhu with snakes around your neck.)
(9)
‘Pari-pooran chhu noor bor-muutiye
Sooraa-motiye aangan tsaav’
( He is full of radiance and shines bright,
See the ash-smeared carefree lord
has come inside my courtyard)
(10)
‘Prabhaat aav poshinoolo van
Sundar-vaani prasan kar mun’…..(Vasudev Ji)
( It is daybreak,
Sing oriole,
Sing your beautiful songs
and fill our hearts with happiness)
(11)
‘Hosh dim lagayo pamposh paadhan
Ha saadhan hiendhi saadho lo’……..……( Krishen Joo Razdan )
( Grant me awakening,
My life at your lotus feet Lord,
O Lord,
O King among the ascetics .)
(12)
‘Hataa zeevo tass-sinz thav kal
Tse praavakh sarvada mangal’
( O human being,
Keep longing for that master,
that Lord,
This longing alone shall bring you unending
happiness .)
(13)
‘Yeli hyot zanam gopaalan
Sheen pyaav kohan ta baalan’
( When Gopaala was born,
The hills and mountains
were covered with white snow)
(14)
‘Sumiran panien ditchenam premuk nishaana vesiye
Ratchhrun togum na rovum ossum na baana vesiye’……( Master Zinda Kaul )
( Some cheerful memories he granted me,
memories like symbols of love.
Alas! I couldn't hold them safely,
Alas! I lost that wealth,
Unlucky, I wasn't capacitated to hold them.)
(15)
‘Kar iyee me kun gindhun dimas tchahdan-haar
Aadi-shakti Shaiv jiyas namskaar’……………( Krishen Joo Razdan )
( When shall he visit this way?
I shall give him a necklace made from sandalwood,
To that primordial energy source,
To that Shiva,
I bow and pay my homage)
(16)
‘Sondharo sonn sandhal garaai
Ho ho karaai Shaam- sondharaai;
(My beautiful lord,
I shall buy ornaments of gold and sandalwood for you,
O baby Krishna,
I shall lull you to sleep)
(17)
‘Gokul hriday myon taeyi choan gooer vàan
Tseit vimarsh deeptimaan bhagwaano’…….(Parmanand)
( My heart has become Gokul,
within it,
O trader of purity,
O trader of milk,
you have set up your shop.
You are the mind,
You are the deliberations,
And you are the lustre,
My lord!
My Sri Krishna.)
(18)
‘Sakhiyav roothum hayi roothum hayi
Gatchhith byoothum hayi gaamaniyi’
( Friends, he appears to have taken
some offence or looks angry with me,
See how he has moved away
and made his abode away from
the noise and commotion)
(19)
‘Maej sharikaai kar daya
Var daya hi bhawaani’
( O mother Sharika, be kind to us,
O mother Sharika, deal us with your
Kindness and compassion )
(20)
‘Me Deevi thaavtam gosh
Ba laagai sheri pamposh’
( O goddess, listen to my prayers also,
Here I decorate your head with lotus flowers)
(21)
‘Ba zaari gosh thaavtam hi bhawaani
Tse rostuyi rachhavun chhuyi kaanh na myonuyi’
( O Bhavani mother, listen to my woes as well,
Apart from you, I haven't any other protection in this world.)
(22)
‘Aasaai sharan tse paadhan vinay kini namithi
Vyakultaai manz maata rachhtam tseyi’………( Panchastavi in Kashmiri translation )
( Having surrendered myself at your feet
I bow my head to you,
Now in every desperation that I experience,
O mother protect me .)
(23)
‘Praatah Kaala aav
Meti antaai gaash maej
Chham tchaen aash Maej
Meti pooran kar’
( The dawn has arrived all over
lead me as well to the light O mother,
Only you are my sole hope
fulfil it, mother,
fulfil it.)
(24)
‘Paadh Kamalan tal ba aasaai
Karini tchaani Stuti.’….(Vishendas ji )
( To your lotus feet I have come
O mother,
to worship you and sing your praise.)
(25)
‘Om Shrimat hi bhawaani
Chham me aasha chaani’
( O Bhavani,
I begin your name with Om,
You alone are my hope now.)
(26)
‘Ba maeji kenh to zaanai na pooz chaani
Kshema karizem agar mantar mashyem kaanh’
( Mother, I don't know how to perform your worship,
forgive me should I forget any specific mantra.)
(27)
‘Tse raagenya kaastam gham
Ba laagai bhaav kosam’
( O mother Raagenya ,
make me free from my sorrows,
To you,
I offer all the flowers of intense devotion.)
(28)
‘Ganyomut chhum manas Chon bhaav
Zagat maata me darshun haav’
( My mind is now intensely desiring
your worship,
O universal mother,
Just grant me your ‘Darshana’)
(29 )
“Aav bahaar bol bulbulo
Soan valo bharyo shaadi”…….(Prakash Ram)
( The spring has arrived,
O bulbul sing your song now.
Come this way,
I shall fill your heart with happiness.)
(30)
‘ Sahib o sath chham me chaani
Vath me asalitch haavtam’……..( Ghulam Ahmed Mehjoor )
( Lord, I have put all faith in you,
show me the righteous path alone .)
There were many other Leelas that were recited specifically at Ashrams of saints and sages in Kashmir. In this category, I would include the Ashram of Bhagwan Gopi Nath, Swami Lakshman Joo's Ashram at Ishber, Kashmir and many other Ashrams in the Kashmir valley. Leelas were also recited before Sona Bub ( a Muslim saint ) by his Kashmiri Pandit followers. Swami Lakshman Joo, the Shaiva scholar of Kashmir was also fond of listening to Leelas composed by Parmanand and Krishen Joo Razdan.
( Avtar Mota)