Ramana Maharshi tells What is the meaning of sashtanga namaskara

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6th April, 1948Bhagavan told the people near him: “Namaskara means prostration a number of times according to some. What can be done? The real meaning of namaskara is the dissolving of the mind.” 

“What is the meaning of sashtanga namaskara, Bhagavan?” asked the devotee. “It means that eight limbs of the body, namely, two hands, two legs, two arms, chest and forehead, touch the ground while saluting. The idea behind this type of obeisance is that the person doing it says, ‘the body which touches the earth, will resolve itself into that earth ultimately, and the “I” in me will continue to be “I” alone’.

That idea must be known to oneself by enquiry. Without knowing it, there is no use in doing these. With meaningless namaskaras people want to secure all the benefits: ‘Swami must give them whatever they desire, be it a bag of clothes or money.’

Source: Letters from Sri Ramanasramam VOLUMES I, II & Letters from and Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam By SURI NAGAMMA Translated by D. S. SASTRI

-- Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth JalasutramLove And Love Alone