Namaskar is an expression of love and reverence.
When we fold our hands in Namaskar or bow to touch someone’s feet, it reflects our humility and respect for the other person.
But if we do it with the expectation that the other person must do the same in return, the essence of that Namaskar is lost.
A true Namaskar arises from pure love and respect — not from expectation, or as a mere formality.
To demand the same response in return is ego - not love.
" Rajan Sachdeva "
Namaskar is sign of love and respect
ReplyDelete🙏🏻🌹🙏🏻
ReplyDeleteI don’t agree with it.
ReplyDeleteIt is other way around. Person who is not responding to Namaskar is full of arrogance. A person who started first the action of saying or doing Namaskar is doing the right thing without any arrogance, he started it first, but the other person who is not responding is full of attitude or arrogance.
It is like a person started doing the full Dhan Nirankar by touching the other person feet, but the other person is not responding or just for the sake - say Dhan Nirankar or just touches the waist of other person without bending- then anyone can see who has the attitude or arrogance or think he is superior to other. Even a blind person can tell the difference.
As Newton said, to every action there is equal and opposite reaction.
The same principle applies to our behaviors too.
If a person doing Namaskar or Dhan Nirankar then the person accepting this must do the same otherwise the opposite reaction will be conveyed as Arrogance, Ghamand.
Bhagti ka bhi Ghamand ho jata hai sahib.
Indians preaching lessons of arrogance and giving examples of Namaskar- when they go to work and work with Americans- always say good morning, good afternoon or good evening and everyone knows very well what they get in return, the same thing.
After sneezing- God bless you- then Thank you.
Have a nice day or weekend, then what reply we get- thank you.
It should be a lecture of manners not a lecture of arrogance or expectations.
Please teach on manners.
Everyone should practice manners and expect manners.
Dhan Nirankar is also a practice of manners…..
Dear Anonymous,
DeleteFirst of all, thank you for your response. It’s perfectly alright for you to disagree with my point of view —everyone has their own understanding and perspective.
Although, I do agree with you on one point:- There should be reciprocation from the other side as well.
But I do not agree that it has to be exactly the same way.
Reciprocation can take many forms, and it may not always be arrogance if someone does not respond in the same manner -- (as you said repeatedly and emphatically)
Personally, I don’t like entering into debates or arguments.
But I do welcome healthy discussions—an exchange of views that can help us all learn from each other.
So, I will try to humbly reply to your objections one by one, according to my own understanding.
(My response to this long comment also turned out to be a little long - and Google did not allow it. So I am posting it in 2 parts.
1. About teaching manners or arrogance
You wrote: "It should be a lecture of manners not a lecture of arrogance or expectations. Please teach on manners.""
First of all, I never try to “teach” anyone anything. As I have said many times in my blogs and replies, whatever I write are simply my own views according to my own understanding. I write to remind myself - not to preach to others. But it's good and I am happy if it helps others in some way.
Having said that - Please read my post again - I never said "you should do this or should not do that."
What I wrote was: “…if we do it with the expectation that the other person must do the same in return…”
The emphasis here was on us—including myself—not on others.
The message was about our expectations, not about what others do or don’t do.
'How the other should respond' - is a separate point, which I didn’t discuss in that article. But if you want, we can certainly discuss that as well.
2. Which mannerism should I teach?
DeleteYou wrote:~~" If a person doing Namaskar or Dhan Nirankar then the person accepting this must do the same otherwise the opposite reaction will be conveyed as Arrogance"~~
You also gave an example of Indians --- "when they go to work and work with Americans- always say good morning, good afternoon or good evening....."
Now - let me ask you this: if you greet an American, Christian, or a Muslim with Namaskar by touching their feet, would you expect them to respond the same way?
Of course not. Because that is not a part of their culture or mannerism. Instead, we usually adopt their way of greeting—by saying “Good morning” or “Hello or Salaam.”
We adopt their mannerism - not expecting them to follow ours.
So, which mannerism are we supposed to teach others? Ours or theirs?
You also said: “Dhan Nirankar is also a practice of manners.”
Yes, but primarily within the Nirankari Mission.
Touching someone’s feet is an Indian cultural gesture - not universally accepted.
Even within Hindu and Sikh traditions, elders do not touch the feet of children. Instead, they bless the younger ones with love and Ashirvaad - with well wishes.
During my youth, we always paid our respects and did namaskar by placing our heads at the feet of Bhapa ji, Sant Amar Singh ji and other elderly and senior saints - our Gurus, parents, and grandparents,etc. Did we ever expect them to do the same for us? No - Even if they tried, I would never let them do it.
Did we consider them arrogant?
Of course not. Because we never expected the same in return.
My friend -
We can talk and argue as much as we want about ideology - about philosophy and theory.
But in practice, situations are not always black and white.
What if an elderly person has knee problems or health issues and cannot bend to touch your feet in the same manner that you did? Should we label them arrogant? No.
In fact, I would consider it my arrogance if I insisted on labeling them egoistic and arrogant.
“One size fits all” does not apply in every situation, especially in matters of manners or respect.
The only point where I agree with you here is: yes, reciprocation is important - that there should be a proper & gentle reciprocation from the other side as well. But it doesn’t always have to be exactly in the same way.
Reciprocation can be in the form of blessings, love, or kind words. Respect and humility can be expressed in many different ways—not just through identical actions.
Thanks again for your input.
Rajan Sachdeva
3.
DeleteYou also said... " Even a blind person can tell the difference.
As Newton said, to every action there is equal and opposite reaction.
The same principle applies to our behaviors too.""
Yes. But Please don't forget --- it also says 'opposite'.
The reaction is not always exactly the same .... when a ball is thrown up - in reaction it comes down.
The equal reaction is there but not exactly the same. There is a difference between Up and Down
The same can be true when we pay respect to someone.
The responsive gesture can be in a different form.
But again, this is my point of view and you are entitled to your own views.
Thanks again.
Very true Jì. Thanks for sharing Dr. Rajan Jì.🙏
ReplyDeleteReciprocal gesture is a norm in almost all communications. But in extending courtesy wishes, it being there or not hardly matters. However, practically one feel hurt when wish by him/her is not reciprocated. But saintly wisdom recommends ignoring same and keep doing positive deeds with zero EXPECTATION.
ReplyDeleteIt is easy to preach than practice.
DeleteEven Satguru has expectations from saints, that’s why so many reforms are being implemented.
Committees are made.
Without exception no family, no organization, no country will work….
The world is mostly transactional.
ReplyDeletePerson 1 does a favor to Person 2.
Person 2: Thank you. I owe you one.
Person 2 feels OBLIGATION.
Person 1 feels EXPECTATION.
A few exceptions to this transactional behavior are:
A mother’s or father’s love for their children.
A saint’s sewa in satsang.
A saint touching another’s feet.
These actions don’t create obligations or expectations. They are done out of love for Nirankar and His creation.
🙏🏼
When ‘Dhan Nirankar Ji’ and touching of feet is done only as a formal greeting, then it is no different than ‘Hello, how are you?’ An equal response is expected.
ReplyDeleteBut if it’s done in the true sense as a sign of love and respect to the other soul, then the act of doing it is for our own good. There are no expectations.
After doing Namaskar or respectful Dhan Nirankar, if the other person is not reciprocating then stop doing these to that person in future. Simply neglect these personalities, then after sometime it will become visible to everyone who is full of arrogance.
ReplyDeleteअगर आप किसी को नमस्कार यह सोचकर कर रहे हो कि वो भी आपको करेगा तो वो नमस्कार व्यर्थ है !
ReplyDeleteक्योंकि नमस्कार संस्कार की वजह से किया जाता है अहंकार की वजह से नहीं !
ये सब आचरण, संस्कार, preachings तभी तक है जब तक सामने वाला सुन रहा है, अदब से पेश आ रहा है, the moment सामने वाला बदतमीज़ी या गाली गलोच या हातापाई पर उतर आया तो सारे संस्कार, आचरण, प्रचार, शिक्षा, उपदेश, यहां तक कि निरंकार भी भूल जावोगे और फिर वही होगा - To every action there is equal and opposite reaction… Newton’s law…
Deleteरुकी हुई या बिगड़ी हुई गाड़ी को चलाना बहुत मुश्किल है।
ReplyDeleteअड़े हुए दिमाग में कुछ डालना बहुत ही मुश्किल है।
Fanatic को समझाना impossible है ….
संसार का व्यवहार एक, और संत का व्यवहार अलग ।
ReplyDeleteहाँ, हम संत तो नहीं हैं, लेकिन कोशिश तो कर सकते हैं ।