Upasana

Upasana (Sanskrit: उपासना upāsanā) literally means "Worship" and "sitting near, attend to". The term also refers to one of three khaṇḍa (खण्ड, parts) of Vedas, one that focuses on worship. The other two parts of Vedas are called Aranyakas and Upanishads, sometimes identified as karma-khaṇḍa (कर्म खण्ड, ritualistic sacrifice section) and jñāna-khaṇḍa (ज्ञान खण्ड, knowledge, spirituality section).

Vedic literature, including Upasana, is however, neither homogeneous in content nor in structure. Multiple classifications have been proposed. For example, the early part of Vedas with mantras and prayers called Samhitas along with the commentary on rituals called the Brahmanas together are identified as the ceremonial karma-khaṇḍa, while rituals and metaphoric-rituals part called Aranyakas and knowledge/spirituality part Upanishads are referred to as the jñāna-khaṇḍa.

The root of the Sanskrit word Upasana is up and asana (from as), which means "to sit close to someone, waiting on someone with reverence". Oldenberg explained Upasana from its root Upās-, in German as Verehren, or "to worship, adore, revere", with the clarification that in Vedic texts this adoration and reverence is at formless things, such as Absolute Self, the Holy, the Atman (Soul) Principle. These texts offer the concept of Upasana to distinguish meditative reverence for an internalized and intellectual concept from earlier forms of physical worship, actual sacrifices and offerings to Vedic deities. Schayer offered a different perspective, stating Upasana in Vedic context is more closer to the German word Umwerben or Bedrängen, or courting and pressing on metaphysical Soul, the Absolute Self (the Brahman) with hopes and petitions. Schayer further states that Upasana was a psychological act as well as a procedure, which etymologically was further developed by Renou.

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