Genuflexion

Genuflexion - P.Natarajan.

The art of kneeling down in worship or in reverence is known as ‘genuflexion’. Islam and Christianity follow this mode of worship.K-N-E-E can be pronounced in two ways :- (1) as

knee and as (2) ‘knee  (’க்னி ‘) with a stress on the first syllable. ..Knee’ as a word is closely associated with the Tamil Word ‘kanu’ ( கணு ).. Genu , in reflection , portrays  ts link with the Sanskrit word ‘ ஜானு ‘. ‘ அஜானுபாஹு  ‘ ( Ajanubahu ) means  a person  whose hands stretch up to the knee point.  Those who know the rules  of languages  would understand that ‘Ja- karam' changes to ‘Ka-karam’  ‘ja’ and ‘ya’ interchanges often

Rarely ‘ja’ converts itself into ‘ka’. ‘ka’ when pronounced with a stress appears as if the letter had been changed as ‘ ga’. ‘ a’ in ‘ga’ belongs to ‘ja’ family. The argument shows that ‘ ja-ka’ are interchangeable in certain contexts. Perhaps the word .‘ ஜானு ‘.’ has    taken the avatar as ‘kanu’ ( கணு ).which points out the part  ‘anklet ‘ ‘.or   குல்பம்   in Tamil. . When  ‘Ajanubahu’  measures with his elbow, it stops at ‘Janu’ which suggests the origin for the name ‘ Muzhangal’ in Tamil  or Knee. it can also reasoned out that knee gets its name as it is the center or equidistant from from hip point or foot..

The sugarcane or timber has  ‘கணு ‘ (kanu) in many places   which also suggests that  கணு lies in the leg portion.

Kneel down to pray while the habit exists in other religions, it can not be ruled out that it is not in vogue in Hindu religion also.

pn