Verse Text
30. atha arcanam—
śuddhi-nyāsādi-pūrvāṅga-karma-nirvāha-pūrvakam |
arcanam tūpacārāṇāṁ syān mantreṇopapādanam ||137||
Translation
Deity worship (verse 85): Arcana means “offering items with mantra after introductory activities such as bhūta-śuddhi and nyāsa.”
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Śuddhi here refers to bhūta-śuddhi, purification of the elements of the body. Nyāsa refers to nyāsas such as mātrikā-nyāsa. These and other actions (purvāṅga-karma) are performed prior to the offering of items (such as lamp and flowers) to the deity. Offering of items with mantra [Note: This would usually be dikṣā-mantras.] along with these preliminary activities is called arcana.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Arcana
Arcana means worship of the Deity in the temple. By executing this process one confirms himself to be not the body but spirit soul.