The True Nature of Pradakshina and Namaskaram

Arunachala

 (from "Letters From Sri Ramanasramam"):

You know what a good day it is today! Bhagavan has taught us something very great. From the time I came here, it has been my usual practice, mornings and evenings, to bow before Bhagavan after going round the hall thrice by way of pradakshina.

When I was doing pradakshina as usual this morning, some other-worldly voice came out of Bhagavan’s mouth and struck my ears as if from a flute. Wondering what it was, I looked up towards Bhagavan’s sofa through the window. The rays of the morning sun were falling on Bhagavan’s body and were giving out a peculiar lustre. Dr.Srinivasa Rao was massaging Bhagavan’s legs with ointment. A light smile was visible on Bhagavan’s face. “Oh, it is only Nagamma! I thought it was somebody else,” he was saying. I felt that he would tell me something, and so I prostrated before him as soon as I entered the hall. Bhagavan smilingly said, “So! You too have started doing pradakshina after seeing others, have you? How many times do you do pradakshina?” I was rather surprised and as I was asked about the number of times, I said, “Thrice.” “Is that so? Others also will do the same, following your example. That is the trouble. I told them not to do it. I tell you also. What do you say?” “What is there for me to say? I shall stop doing it, if you advise me to.” So saying, I sat down. Looking at me, Bhagavan said, “See, these people go on doing pradakshina round the hall without end. It was only yesterday I told them not to do it. They will say, ‘Nagamma also is doing pradakshina. Should she also not be told?’ If people see you going round the hall, newcomers will think that they should do the same, and will start doing it as they do round a temple. That is why I am telling you.” Bhagavan then told us all:

“What is meant by pradakshina? Sankara has written:

paribhramanti brahmāṇḍaḥ sahasrāṇi mahēśvarē |

kūṭastakhila rūpē’smin iti dhyānaṁ pradakṣiṇam ||

Real pradakshina is the meditation that thousands of universes are revolving around the Great Lord, the unmoving centre of all forms.

“The same bhava (idea), was expressed in Tamil by the author of Ribhu Gita in greater detail.” So saying Bhagavan got that book, read it and told us the following:

“‘Oh Lord! I went all round the world to do pradakshina to you but you are in fullness everywhere. How then could I complete a round? I shall worship you as ‘kutastha akhila rupa’ (immovable entire form of the world). That is the only pradakshina to you’. Namaskar also means the same thing. The merging of the mind in the Self is namaskar and not the mere act of prostrating whenever you get up or sit down or whenever you go that side or come this side.”