Upāsana
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
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[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore