Namaskaram: Salutation - a proper way to start and conclude

Namaskaram: the significance of offering prayer and greetings

Namaskaram refers to the proper way of offering prayer and greetings and seeking blessings to God, Guru and the Audience before starting and after completion of any dance piece. A Bharatnatyam dancer starts and ends every session of dancing with Namaskar (obedience). Dancer seeks blessings and permission from Mother Earth to stomp on her during the dance. The dancer pays respect to God (Nataraja), Teacher (Guru), and Audience.

Dhyana Shlokam:

“Angikam bhuvanam yasya

Vachikam sarva vangmayam

Aharyam chandra taradi

Tam numah/vande satvikam shivam.”

The full meaning of this shlokam is:

We bow to Him the benevolent One, whose limbs are the universe, whose song and poetry are the essence of all languages, whose ornaments are the moon and the stars…

Word meaning:

Angikam - body

Bhuvanam - universe

Yasya - whose

Vachikam - speech, song

Sarva - everyone

Vangmayam - language

Aharyam - ornaments

Chandra - moon

Taradi - stars

Tam - to YOU

Numah - to bow

Satvikam - pure

Shivam - Lord Shiva