pranam

From pra, "complete," and nam, "salutation."

Place your hands, palms together, over your heart and say "Pranam".

This salutation, with the hands in the position of prayer, is expression of reverence to God or to one in whom the Divine is manifested. You may say Pranam or Namaste. This joining of hands symbolizes the meeting of two souls. Bowing down and joining hands symbolizes humility.

Meaning: "I bow with deep respects to the all-loving, all-powerful and omnipresent God in you."

The act of bowing consists in placing the hands, palms pressed together, over the heart, then touching the fingertips to the forehead to express devotion to a person or to God. Hands symbolize activity, the heart symbolizes love, and the head symbolizes wisdom. So a person bowing to man or God symbolizes by this act of obeisance: "My activity, my love, and my mind are at Your service." (BG p.1088)