Namah

Namah is a Sanskrit term meaning "obeisance" or "bowing," commonly used as a component of Hindu mantras and invocations. It is frequently transliterated as Namaḥ (Devanagari: नमः). In Hindu practice, Namah appears in phrases such as Om Namah Shivaya ("I bow to Shiva") and Namah Vishnave ("I bow to Vishnu"), among other forms like Namaḥ Shankara.

Linguistically, Namah derives from the root nam, meaning "to bow" or "to honor," with an ending that marks the term as an expression of reverence in classical Sanskrit. In everyday devotional use, Namah signals reverence and is often paired with deities, sages, or sacred objects. The opening syllables of Namaste, another well-known greeting, come from Namaḥ te, meaning "I bow to you." In East Asian Buddhist contexts, the equivalent transliteration is often Namo, as in Namo Amituofo, reflecting the same sense of homage.

In contemporary practice, Namah appears in devotional chants, liturgy, and personal meditation or prayer. It is typically not a personal name, but a word embedded within phrases that express reverence and worship. The term forms part of a broader family of Sanskrit honorifics used across Indian religions.