When you meet a stranger or any acquaintance we generally salute them (of course, at our place). In India, namasthe is the general form of saluting the guests. While offering namasthe we bring our both hands together which ultimately identifies with "jyothi swarup" (supreme being or brahmam). we convey a message to our guests that there is no difference between you and me. What is dwelling inside me is also dwelling inside you(meaning jiv atma). Another interesting way of interpreting namasthe is that joined hand signifies unblossommed lotus bud by offering namasthe we expect a friendship to be bloomed between us. The flower lotus plays an important role in our culture.We are both part of the same universal power. This creates a trust between two individuals. (How could I harm myself).And these are spiritual interpretations of the namasthe. The medical science says that the human hand carry dirt, bacterias since, we follow the dictum" adhithi devo bhava" so we keep our bacterias with ourselves we don't want our germs and bacterias to be transmitted to our guests. LET YOUR BACTERIAS BE WITH YOU . That is the message we send it to our guests.
When Indian civilization was flourishing the western countries were leading a barbaric life. There was a lot of infighting between one tribe and another. There was no trust . The act of extending one's right hand is to gain the confidence and trust of the other.In other words, he shows to the others that he has no weapon in his hand . (Significantly, when the right hand was extended the left hand was hidden behind this really showed that how people of that of the era had led a paranoid life).
Now, tell me what do u want a namasthe or a handshake?
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