Public Discourse
Upanyāsam (Sanskrit: upanyāsa = discourse, address, presentation) is a public lecture on Śrī Vaiṣṇava devotional or scriptural topics, typically given by an Ācārya or learned teacher to a general audience. Unlike kālakṣepam (which is a systematic, lengthy line-by-line exposition for committed students), an upanyāsam is more accessible — it may last one to two hours and cover a single theme, story, or aspect of doctrine.
Forms of Upanyāsam
Upanyāsams range from temple discourses during festivals (expounding the significance of each day's celebration) to organized lecture series on texts like the Bhagavad Gītā or specific Āzhvār pāsurams. Many distinguished Ācāryas and scholars of the 20th–21st centuries gave upanyāsams that were recorded and continue to be widely listened to by Śrī Vaiṣṇava communities worldwide.
Śravaṇa
Attending and listening to an upanyāsam is a form of śravaṇa — one of the nine modes of navadhā-bhakti. Listening with reverence and attention to the words of a qualified speaker is itself an act of devotion.