SaAshtaanga Namaskaara

SaAshtaanga Namaskaara...

Sa means with; 
Ashta means eight and 
Anga means limbs; 
Namaskara means prostration.

Saashtaanga Namaskaara means, reverential prostration performed with eight limbs (Ashta-Anga) viz. 
two hands; 
two legs; 
two arms; 
chest and 
forehead 
touching the ground as a mark of respect, obeisance and total surrender to the deity.

It is one of the best traditions of Sanatana Samskriti percolated down from elders that we follow in our day to day life while offering salutations to God; Yati; Parents; elders; Preceptor.

It is also a type of yogaasana and forms a part of Surya Namaskaara.

Women are barred from performing Saashtaanga namaskara; their chest, abdomen and waist should not touch the ground. In their case it will be a Panchaanga namaskara.

Saashtaanga Namaskara should be performed with utmost humility and devotion and not as a routine drill.

It is a mode of self realization; it removes egoism.

Following sloka describes how a Saashtaanga namaskara should be made;

Urasa sirasa dhrushtya manasa vachasa thatha
Paadhaabhyaam karaabhyaam jaanubhyaam
pranaamoshtaango eeriithah

In above sloka from Sri KrishnamruthaMaharnava; SrimadAcharya describes how a proper sashtanganamaskara is to be performed;

It should be performed with five body parts viz. chest, head, feet, hands and knees touching the ground and 
three senses viz. one’s mind, one’s eyes and tongue (speech) are all focused on the divine.

Renu kuntithagathrasya khanaa yavanthi bharatha!

Thavath varshasahasraani Vishnuloke maheeyathey:

In the above sloka from Sri KrishnamruthaMaharnava; SrimadAcharya says that when we do SaAshtaanga Namaskaara in a temple, our body is touched by the dust from the feet of Hari Bhaktas who have worshiped in that temple; and one will live for so many thousands of years in Vishnuloka equivalent to the amount of dust particles that our body is blessed with;

The script (Sri KrishnamruthaMaharnava) further says in sloka # 93; that even if one salutes Lord Sri Hari the wielder of Sharnga bow (Dhanurdhaari) out of pride and ego, the sins accumulated in hundred births will be eliminated; it is certain; Lord is ParamaDayalu;

When such is the case of its merits, one should try to understand the significance of SaAshtaanga Namaskaara and should do it with utmost humility and devotion in a meditative mood with focus on the concerned deity and not just as a routine.  

It is a symbol of saranagati at the lotus feet of the Lord; it is also a form of destruction of one's ego;

Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu
Hari Sarvottama - Vaayu Jeevottama
Sri GuruRaajoVijayate