Upanishads · Kaivalya 4
॥
Devanāgarī
ते ब्रह्मलोकेषु परान्तकाले परामृताः परिमुच्यन्ति सर्वे विविक्तदेशे च सुखासनस्थः शुचिः समग्रीवशिरःशरीरः
Transliteration (IAST)
te brahmalokeṣu parāntakāle parāmṛtāḥ parimucyanti sarve viviktadeśe ca sukhāsanasthaḥ śuciḥ samagrīvaśiraḥśarīraḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ते ब्रह्मलोकेषु परान्तकालेte brahmalokeṣu parāntakālethey, in the worlds of Brahman, at the end of the final term; they in the brahmalokas at the last hour
परामृताः परिमुच्यन्ति सर्वेparāmṛtāḥ parimucyanti sarveall, become supremely immortal, are released; all, having reached the highest deathlessness, are wholly freed
विविक्तदेशे चviviktadeśe caand in a solitary place; in a secluded spot
सुखासनस्थः शुचिःsukhāsanasthaḥ śuciḥseated at ease, pure; settled in a comfortable seat, clean
समग्रीवशिरःशरीरःsamagrīvaśiraḥśarīraḥwith neck, head and body in one line; holding neck, head and trunk erect
Translation
All of them, in the worlds of Brahman, at the end of the final term, become supremely immortal and are wholly released. And in a solitary place, seated at ease, pure, holding neck, head and body in one straight line...
Version
8fad3a444e32 · published Jul 29, 2026, 3:04:38 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The first half of the verse completes the strivers' destiny: parānta-kāle — “at the end of the final term”, that is, at the hour of the world's dissolution.
This describes what the Vedānta calls krama-mukti, “liberation by stages”: those who reach Brahmā's world do not return, but are freed together with him when his day ends.
The second half changes the subject abruptly and begins the instruction on how to sit.
Four things are listed: the place — “solitary”; the posture — “comfortable”; cleanness; and the bearing — “neck, head and body in one line”.
The last direction recurs constantly in śruti, and it is exact: not to straighten by force, but to set the three parts on one axis so as to hold without strain.
Note the word sukhāsana — “a comfortable seat”. It does not say “a difficult one”: the posture should be such that one forgets it.
The Śvetāśvatara gives the same instruction at greater length, and there too the signs of progress are listed. Here all is packed into half a verse, because the book hurries to the main thing — to what is to be contemplated.
The next three verses will be that contemplation.