The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hindusim vol 2

Namarupa
that this rite should be done on the day
of birth, many others insist that it
should be on the tenth day, indicating
a difference between birth and the
social ritual of name-giving. Some
believe that the child’s name should
begin with the first letter of the
nakshatra (sign in the lunar zodiac) in
which the child is born; this practice is
still widespread in northern India.
Although the classical form of this rite
has largely fallen into disuse, naming
ceremonies are still an important part
of the birth of a child.
Namarupa
Literally, this word means “name [and
physical] form,” two of the most identifiable
and enduring aspects of a person.
In philosophical discourse, the
term namarupa is often used pejoratively
to designate all aspects of personality
that are ultimately ephemeral
but help reinforce the illusion of a
diverse world and a Self with an independent
identity. These notions of
independence are thought to be ultimately
false since one’s name and form
will be different in one’s next birth. In
this context, namarupa designates all
that is provisionally real.
Namaskara
(“reverential salutation”) Both a
phrase and a gesture used to greet
another person respectfully. The gesture
is done by joining both palms,
pointing the fingers up, with the base
of the thumbs touching the chest.
Namaskara is the fourteenth of sixteen
traditional upacharas (“offerings”)
given to a deity as part of worship,
treating the deity as an honored guest.
In this action, the deity is given a gesture
of respect, which can take a variety
of forms: joining the palms with
the fingers pointing upward (anjali
hasta), kneeling and touching one’s
head to the floor, or a full prostration
(dandavat pranam). The underlying
motive for all the upacharas is to show
one’s respect and love for the deity by
ministering to the deity’s needs.
Nambudiri
Southern Indian brahmin community,
which is a sub-division of the
Dravida brahmins, one of five southern
Indian brahmin communities
(Pancha Dravida). The Nambudiris’
traditional homeland is in the region
that is now the modern state of
Kerala. The Nambudiris are noted
throughout India for their learning
and piety. According to tradition, the
great philosopher Shankaracharya
was a Nambudiri brahmin. In his
desire to revitalize Hindu religion,
Shankaracharya reportedly chose one
Hindu sacred center in each corner of
the subcontinent, and at each established
a Dashanami Sanyasi monastic
center (math) to train learned
monks. One of these sacred centers
was at Badrinath in the Himalayas.
According to the Badrinath temple
records, for several hundred years the
temple worship was performed by
the Dandi Sanyasis, who were also
Nambudiri brahmins. When the last
of these died without a successor in
1776, the local king, who served as the
protector of the shrine, invited a nonascetic
Nambudiri brahmin to serve
as the temple’s priest. This priest was
given the title rawal (“deputy”), and
his extended family has maintained
the shrine since then. The rawal was
the only person allowed to touch the
image of the presiding deity. As a
consequence he was required to
remain a bachelor, lest the ritual
impurity arising from the birth of a
child (sutakashaucha) render him
unable to attend to his duties. For a
long time the rawals had sole rights to
the offerings given at the shrine, but
since 1939 the temple has been managed
by a committee, and the rawal
has been restricted to ritual duties.
458