Main Difference
Every religion and culture have their own way of greeting each other and these two which will be discussed belong to the Hindu culture where they are frequently used in the same context, although there are slight differences between the two. The main one is perhaps the meaning of the words where Namaste means “I bow towards you” and is considered the modern term, it is used for people of all age groups. The word Namaskar means “I bow towards your existence” and is considered the more original term and is used for people who are an elder or worth more respect.
Comparison Chart
| Basis of Distinction | Namaste | Namaskar |
| Definition | Modern way of greeting people in the Indian or Hindu culture | Traditional way of greeting people in the Indian or Hindu culture |
| Origin | Sanskrit word Nama which means bow, and te, which means you. | Sanskrit word Nama which means bow, and kar, which means making, or Lord. |
| Action | A person has to bow towards the other person and has to join both hands pointing upwards and then the hands are moved close to the chest. | Same. |
| Usage | For people of all age groups including elders and youngers. | For individuals who are elder to the person speaking it. |
| Culture | To greet a person casually. | To show respect towards a person. |
Namaskar
This is a gesture which is most commonly used around the sub-continent regions such as India, Bangladesh, and Nepal and is also considered a respectful form of greeting which is different from the original form. This is the most traditional form of salutation and is used by people who like to stick to their roots, this is a part of the 16 upacharas which are used inside the temples in India. It is also used by people who want to show more respect towards someone and consider them necessary. This is a term which is commonly used for elders and not for people who are younger in age. The process of saying the word is similar to Namaste in which a person has to bow towards the other person and has to join both hands in the form of saying sorry in which palms are touching each other along with the fingers which are pointing upwards and then the hands are moved close to the chest. The other forms in which it is said is namaskaran. This word shows a different meaning in a way that, people have to join their hands together and show respect not just towards the person but also towards their creation. Hands are considered the primary source of creation in Hinduism and therefore it indicates that the person is thanking the God for the creation of another person. People believe that there is a crackle of energy every time they join their hands together, and there is an activeness which moves through the body of both the people who are showing the same gesture.
Namaste
This is the traditional way of greeting people in the Indian or Hindu culture and has become famous in other parts of the world as well since it offers people another distinctive way of showing respect towards each other. The main aim of this word is to show respect towards people and has been found in the culture for well over a century. It has been originated in the Indian Subcontinent especially in India and Nepal. It is spoken towards people to show them respect, and they do not have to be older in age than the individual who is saying it. It can be for elders, kids, people of the same age. The proper way of saying this is not just by speaking it from your mouth but a person has to join both hands in the form of saying sorry in which palms are touching each other along with the fingers which are pointing upwards and then the hands are moved close to the chest. A person also has to bow while saying this but in the modern days, that practice is becoming less common among people. This word is derived from the Sanskrit language which is the basis of Hindi, it is a combination of the word namah which means bow and te, which means for you, the complete meaning of this word, therefore, becomes “I bow to you” or “I bow towards you.” There are many variations of the name, and therefore it is not used in the same way all over the country, and they include Namovah or even Namovam in some cases.
Key Differences
- Namaste is considered the modern way of greeting each other in the Hindu religion while Namaskar is considered the most traditional way of greeting each other.
- The term Namaste is usually used in India and Nepal while the term Namaskar is frequently employed in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
- Namaskar is used for people who can be elders, kids and people of the same age while Namastay is used for individuals who are an elder to each other or have a higher stature.
- The process of saying the word is similar both in which a person has to bow towards the other person and has to join both hands in the form of saying sorry in which palms are touching each other along with the fingers which are pointing upwards and then the hands are moved close to the chest.
- The literal meaning of word Namaste means “I bow to you” or “I bow towards you” while the literal significance of the word Namaskar means “I bow towards your existence.”
- The word Namaste is used for people who are of the same stature, while Namaskar is used to show more love and respect towards a person.
- Namaskar is the oldest term which is being used to greet each other while Namaste was introduced later.
- The origin of Namaskar is Nama which means bow and kar which means “making, doing, lord of,” while the root of word Namaste is Nama and te which means you.