Upanishads · Varāha 4.16
॥
Devanāgarī
कुर्वन्नभ्यासमेतस्यां भूम्यां सम्यग्विवासनः । सप्तमी गाढसुप्ताख्या क्रमप्राप्ता पुरातनी
Transliteration (IAST)
kurvannabhyāsametasyāṃ bhūmyāṃ samyagvivāsanaḥ | saptamī gāḍhasuptākhyā kramaprāptā purātanī
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
कुर्वन् अभ्यासम् एतस्यांkurvan abhyāsam etasyāṃperforming practice on this
भूम्यां सम्यक् विवासनःbhūmyāṃ samyak vivāsanaḥstage, wholly free of tendencies
सप्तमी गाढ-सुप्त-आख्याsaptamī gāḍha-supta-ākhyāthe seventh, called deep sleep
क्रम-प्राप्ता पुरातनीkrama-prāptā purātanīreached in order, ancient
Translation
"Performing practice on this stage, wholly free of [former] tendencies, — [he attains] the seventh, called deep sleep, reached in order, ancient."
Version
01c0864e35ee · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
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Worth noting is the word vivasana, "free of vasanas." Vasana means "habit, impression, an imprint left behind"; from the root vas, "to live, to dwell": that which has taken up residence in a person. This word is fundamental in yogic literature and denotes not a thought or a desire, but a rut: an inclination that acts before a person has had time to think.
The Vaishnava side accepts this notion fully, discussed when reading the Jabala-darshana (4.7). Its difference, again, is not in the notion, but in the means. Here what is prescribed is vivasana, "the removal of tendencies," that is, the erasing of the rut.
It puts replacement in place of erasure: the old rut is not erased, but grows over because one drives on a new one. Its ground is this: a rut is a trace of repetition, and can be removed only by new repetition; while mere abstention leaves it untouched, merely waiting for an occasion. Hence its practice is built on daily, uniform action: repetition of the Name, prostrations, service at a fixed hour.
Let us add the word puratani, "ancient," standing at the end: the stage is called not newly acquired, but ancient. That is, it is conceived not as an attainment, but as a return to what was; discussed when reading the second chapter (2.76), where the Highest was called sahaja, "innate."