Upāsana
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
Sometimes transliterated as: Upasana, UpAsana, Upaasana
Upāsana literally means ‘sitting near,’ ‘meditation’.
In general, the word upāsana means meditation. However in the Pāñcarātra Agamas, it has been used in a technical sense associated with ritualistic worship. It has five aspects:
- Abhigamana - keeping the temple clean
- Upādāna - collecting the materials needed for worship
- Ijyā - ritualistic worship
- Svādhyāya - repetition of God’s name and chanting of hymns
- Yoga - meditation on God
References
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore
