Upakrama: 20 definitions
Introduction:
Upakrama means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi, Hindi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
Alternative spellings of this word include Upkram.
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In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
The six Upakrama (उपक्रम, “therapeutic measures”) are as follows:
- Bṛṃhaṇa,
- Laṅghana,
- Stambhana,
- Svedana,
- Snehana,
- Rūkṣaṇa.
They are again based on the tridoṣa two for each doṣa—one for increase and the other for decrease.
Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.
Shaivism
Upakrama (उपक्रम) refers to the “commencement (of contemplation)”, according to the Īśvarapratyabhijñāvimarśinī (KSTS vol. 65, 330).—Accordingly, “When one begins to contemplate (cintā-upakrama) ‘What is the reality of the body, etc.?’ [and subsequently realizes] “it is simply a form of awareness, replete with the Light of Consciousness,” then those [levels] from the Void to the body manifest as [they really are,] of one essence with Awareness, as if transmuted by its elixir. [...]”.
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
Kama-shastra (the science of Love-making)
Upakrama (उपक्रम) refers to the “welcoming preliminaries (for guests)” (according to the traditional evening-routine of the householder), according to chapter 1.4 of Vātsyāyana’s Kāmasūtra: a Sanskrit text from the 2nd century dealing with eroticism, sexuality and emotional fulfillment in life belonging to Kāmaśāstra (the ancient Indian science of love-making).—Accordingly [while describing the daily routine of a citizen]: “In the evening there should be singing, and after that the householder, along with his friend, should await in his room, previously decorated and perfumed, the arrival of the woman that may be attached to him, or he may send a female messenger for her, or go for her himself. After her arrival at his house, he and his friend should welcome her (upakrama) , and entertain her with a loving and agreeable conversation. [āgatānāṃ ca manoharairālāpairupacāraiśca sasahāyasyopakramāḥ] Thus end the duties of the day. [...]”.
Upakrama (उपक्रम) refers to the “commencement” (of practicing sex), according to the Kāmasūtra of Vātsyāyana and Jaśodhara’s commentary called the Jayamaṅgalā .—Accordingly, “[When you are] about to practise sex (upakrama—ratasyopakrame), [first you should] rub her genitalia with your hand, and when there is dampness, the sexual act can be commenced. This is the restoration of passion”.
Kamashastra (कामशास्त्र, kāmaśāstra) deals with ancient Indian science of love-making, passion, emotions and other related topics dealing with the pleasures of the senses.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Upakrama (उपक्रम, “commencement”) refers to one of the “four doors” explained in the Anuyogadvārasūtra: a technical treatise on analytical methods, a kind of guide to applying knowledge.—Its title can be understood as meaning ‘the doors of exposition’. This stresses that the text focuses on the ways of approaching and understanding concepts. There are four doors [viz., upakrama, ‘commencement’].
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
upakrama (उपक्रम).—m (S) Beginning, commencement, setting to or upon. 2 Entrance into form or being (of an action); initial or inchoate stage; beginning.
upakrama (उपक्रम).—m Beginning. Entrance into form or being (of an action), initial stage.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Upakrama (उपक्रम).—1 Beginning, commencement; रामोपक्रममाचख्यौ रक्षःपरिभवं नवम् (rāmopakramamācakhyau rakṣaḥparibhavaṃ navam) R.12.42 begun by Rāma; किमुपक्रमो रावणः (kimupakramo rāvaṇaḥ) Mv.2.
2) Approach, advance; साहस° (sāhasa°) forcible advance Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 7; so योषितः सुकुमारोपक्रमाः (yoṣitaḥ sukumāropakramāḥ) ibid.
3) An undertaking, work, enterprize.
4) A plan, contrivance, means, expedient, stratagem, remedy; सामादि- भिरुपक्रमैः (sāmādi- bhirupakramaiḥ) Manusmṛti 7.17,159; M.3; R.18.15; Y.1.345; Śiśupālavadha 2.76.
5) Attendance on a patient, treatment, practice of medicine, physicking.
6) A test of honesty, trying the fidelity of a friend &c.; see उपधा (upadhā).
7) A kind of ceremony preparatory to reading the Vedas.
8) Heroism, Courage.
9) Flight.
1) Behaviour, action; यद्यप्यकृतकृत्यानामीदृशः स्यादुपक्रमः (yadyapyakṛtakṛtyānāmīdṛśaḥ syādupakramaḥ) Rām.5.64.3.
11) The rim of a wheel; Hch.
Derivable forms: upakramaḥ (उपक्रमः).
Upakrama (उपक्रम).—m. (= Pali upakkama; to upakramati; see also upasaṃkrama), violence, doing violence to…, attack (by violence): Lalitavistara 258.2 (verse) kāyopakrama-karaṇai(r) manyante bāliśāḥ śuddhiṃ; Mahāvastu ii.448.12 °meṇa ātmānaṃ māreyā; 492.1 ātmānaṃ ca upakrameṇa māritukāmaḥ; similarly 493.20; Divyāvadāna 235.9 sa evaṃvidha upakramaḥ kṛtaḥ; Bodhisattvabhūmi 244.6 ātmopakrama-duḥkham, and 7 paropa- krama-duḥkham,…thru violence by oneself and by others.
Upakrama (उपक्रम).—m.
(-maḥ) 1. Deliberate commencement or undertaking; providing means, and anticipating consequences. 2. A beginning in general. 3. A particular ceremony preparatory to reading the Vedas. 4. A atratagem. 5. A means, an expedient. 6. Trying the fidelity, &c. of a counselor or friend. 7. Valor. 8. Practice of medicine, physicking. 9. Flight, retreat. 10. Approach. E. upa over, &c. kram to go, affix ghañ.
Upakrama (उपक्रम).—[upa-kram + a], m. 1. A beginning, [Vedāntasāra, (in my Chrestomathy.)] in
Upakrama (उपक्रम).—[masculine] approach, arrival; commencement, enterprise; means, expedient.
1) Upakrama (उपक्रम):—[=upa-krama] [from upa-kram] m. the act of going or coming near, approach, [Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa]
2) [v.s. ...] setting about, undertaking, commencement, beginning, [Lāṭyāyana; Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra; Bhāgavata-purāṇa; Sāhitya-darpaṇa; Sarvadarśana-saṃgraha] etc.
3) [v.s. ...] enterprise, planning, original conception, plan, [Raghuvaṃśa; Rājataraṅgiṇī; Pañcatantra] etc.
4) [v.s. ...] anything leading to a result
5) [v.s. ...] a means, expedient, stratagem, exploit, [Mahābhārata; Yājñavalkya; Mālavikāgnimitra] etc.
6) [v.s. ...] remedy, medicine, [Suśruta]
7) [v.s. ...] attendance (on a patient), treatment, practice or application of medicine, physicking, [Suśruta] etc.
8) [v.s. ...] the rim of a wheel, [Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi]
9) [v.s. ...] a particular ceremony preparatory to reading the Vedas, [Horace H. Wilson]
10) [v.s. ...] trying the fidelity etc. of a counsellor or friend, [ib.]
11) [v.s. ...] heroism, courage, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
12) [v.s. ...] effort, endeavour, [Campaka-śreṣṭhi-kathānaka]
Upakrama (उपक्रम):—[upa-krama] (maḥ) 1. m. Deliberate undertaking; a commencement; means.
Upakrama (उपक्रम):—(wie eben) m.
1) Herannahung, Herbeikunft: papraccha prayojanamupakrame [Mahābhārata 3, 8602. 8608.] [Rāmāyaṇa 5, 65, 8.] —
2) das an-Etwas-Gehen, Anwendung: auṣadhopakramāsādhyo vyādhiḥ [Kathāsaritsāgara 17, 37.] —
3) Behandlung (medic.) [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha 4, 215.] [Medinīkoṣa Manu’s Gesetzbuch 59.] [VAIG.] zu [Daśakumāracarita 86,] [Nalopākhyāna 6.] [Suśruta 1, 5, 11.] —
4) Antritt, Anfang, Beginn [Amarakoṣa 3, 3, 26.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 1510.] [Anekārthasaṃgraha 4, 216.] [Vedāntasāra] in [Benfey’ Chrestomathie aus Sanskritwerken 216, 3.] [Madhusūdanasarasvatī’s Prasthānabheda] in [Weber’s Indische Studien 1, 15], ult. pūrvaraṅga upakramaḥ (nāṭyasya) [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 282.] upopakramatvādupadravasya weil upadrava mit upa beginnt [] zu [Chāndogyopaniṣad 2, 8, 2.] —
5) Anschlag, überlegter Plan [Amarakoṣa 2, 7, 12. 3, 4, 142.] [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha 4, 215.] kiṃ vā madvadhāyaiṣa upakramo mantharakasya [Pañcatantra 263, 2.] der erste Gedanke zu einem Werke: vartate dya mahānadyoḥ saṃgamo nagaropānte sa suyyopakramastayoḥ [Rājataraṅgiṇī 5, 98.] [Raghuvaṃśa 12, 42.] am Ende eines comp. neutr. und das erste Glied behält seinen Ton [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 2, 4, 21. 6, 2, 14.] [Amarakoṣa 3, 6, 28.] —
6) womit man zum Ziele gelangt (vgl. upāya), Mittel: tataśca pratikurvanti yadi paśyantyupakramāt [Mahābhārata 3, 14082.] tānānayedvaśaṃ sarvāṃsāmādibhirupakramaiḥ [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 7, 107. 159.] [Yājñavalkya’s Gesetzbuch 1, 344.] [Raghuvaṃśa 18, 14.] medic. [Suśruta 1, 64, 3. 2, 3, 14. 58, 6.] viruddhopakramatvāt [1, 186, 10.] = upadhā [Amarakoṣa 3, 4, 142.] [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha] [Medinīkoṣa] = vaśīkāra [Vaijayantī a. a. O.] —
7) = vikrama [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha] [Medinīkoṣa] —
8) fehlerhafte Var. für apakrama [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 803.]
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Upakrama (उपक्रम):—
3) vātasyopakramaḥ snehaḥ svedaḥ u.s.w. [Oxforder Handschriften 304,b. 7. fg. 12.] —
4) upakramāpavargau [WEBER, Jyotiṣa 85. 111.] upakramopasaṃhārau [SARVADARŚANAS. 73, 5. 4.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 11, 29, 20.] [Sāhityadarpana 199, 6. 294, 12.] dakṣiṇopa, savyopa adj. [Kātyāyana’s Śrautasūtrāṇi 175, 3 v. u.] —
6) [Spr. 4287.] apyatra kasyacidupakramasya gatiḥ syāt [Mālavikāgnimitra 44, 23. Z. 2] ist wohl upakramān zu lesen. —
9) das Thun für Etwas, das Befördern: sopakramaṃ nirupakramaṃ ca karma [Oxforder Handschriften 230,b,3.] sopakramaṃ yatphalajananāya sahopakrameṇa kāryakāraṇābhimukhyena vartate . yathoṣṇapradeśe prasāritamārdravastraṃ śīghrameva śuṣyati . uktarūpaviparītaṃ nirupakramam . yathā tadevārdraṃ vāsaḥ saṃvartitamanuṣṇadeśe cireṇa śopameti . [5. fgg.] — Vgl. 2. kopakrama und nirupakrama .
Upakrama (उपक्रम):—m. (adj. Comp. f. ā) —
1) Herannahung , Herbeikunft. —
2) Anwendung (einer Arzenei). —
3) das Thun für Etwas , Befördern. —
4) Behandlung (medic.) —
5) Antritt , Anfang , Beginn [Lāṭyāyana’s Śrautasūtra 4,6,1.] —
6) Anschlag , überlegter Plan. —
7) der erste Gedanke zu einem Werke. *n. am Ende eines Comp. —
8) Mittel. —
9) Radkranz [Hemādri’s Caturvargacintāmaṇi 1,326,16.] —
10) * = vikrama. —
11) fehlerhaft apakrama.
Upakrama (उपक्रम) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Uvakkama.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Hindi dictionary
Upakrama (उपक्रम) [Also spelled upkram]:—(nm) preparation, a beginning; prelude; —[karanā] to undertake, to set about (doing something).
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Upakrama (ಉಪಕ್ರಮ):—
1) [noun] the act or an instance of approaching; a going near.
2) [noun] a starting or commencing; a beginning.
3) [noun] a test of honesty; a trial of fidelity.
4) [noun] a plan, contrivance, means; expedient, stratagem, etc.
5) [noun] attendance on a patient, treatment, practice of medicine, etc.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Upakrama (उपक्रम):—n. plan; program; preparations; beginning; preamble; preface;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches (+0): Krama, Upa.
Starts with (+0): Upakrama-karana, Upakramaka, Upakramakarana, Upakraman, Upakramana, Upakramanem, Upakramanika, Upakramaniya, Upakramaparakrama, Upakramashila, Upakramashilate, Upakramati, Upakramopasamhara.
Full-text (+30): Nirupakrama, Durupakrama, Upakramaparakrama, Bhaktyupakrama, Vacanopakrama, Samupakrama, Upkram, Kopakrama, Samyukta-upakrama, Hirasatako-upakrama, Upakrama-karana, Upakramakarana, Upakramana, Svedana, Brimhana, Rukshana, Snehana, Stambhana, Langhana, Uvakkama.
Relevant text
Search found 41 books and stories containing Upakrama, Upa-krama; (plurals include: Upakramas, kramas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
A comprehensive review on chaturvimshati upakramas of visha chikitsa in ayurveda < [2023, Issue 04, April]
A review on clinical importance of panchakarma in vrana shasti upakramas < [2021, Issue 9, September]
Sutika jwara – prevention and management < [2014, Issue V Sep-Oct]
World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Study on 24 Ayurvedic treatments for poison. < [2022: Volume 11, July special issue 10]
Vrana shasti upkrama (management of wound) in ayurveda–a review < [2022: Volume 11, August issue 11]
A critical review < [2022: Volume 11, July issue 9]
Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences
A Critical Review of Rukshana Karma in Clinical Practice < [Vol. 2 No. 04 (2017)]
A case study of Dushta Vrana treated with Vrana Lepa w.s.r. to Sahasrayoga < [Vol. 7 No. 8 (2022)]
Effect of Nimbadi Taila Vrana Basti in the management of Dusta Vrana (Chronic... < [Vol. 9 No. 2 (2024)]
Journal of Ayurveda and Holistic Medicine
Critical review on swasthya panchakarma < [Volume 2, issue 1 (2014)]
Trisutra for ayur trichology: an innovative insight < [Volume 9, issue 5 (2021)]
A disease review on madhumehajanya duṣṭa vraṇa vis-à-vis diabetic foot ulcer < [Volume 10, issue 2 (2022)]
Ayurvedic Management of Traumatic tympanic membrane perforation < [Volume 11, Issue 2: March-April 2024]
Study on Aragwadhadi Kashaya for managing non-healing ulcers. < [Volume 10, Issue 6: November-December 2023]
Understanding upasaya's role in diagnosis and treatment. < [Volume 3, issue 3: May- June 2016]
International Research Journal of Ayurveda and Yoga
Management of Amavata by Langhana Therapy-A Single Case Study. < [Vol. 6 No. 5: May (2023)]
UNRAVELING THE WOUND MANAGEMENT POTENTIALVRANYA DRAVYAS OF BHAVAPRAKASA... < [Vol. 8 No. 2: Feb (2025)]
A Comprehensive Study on Diabetic Foot Ulcer & its Management < [Vol. 5 No. 10: Oct (2022)]