Upanishads · Varāha 4.35
॥
Devanāgarī
वामदेवं येऽनुसरन्ति नित्यं मृत्वा जनित्वा च पुनःपुनस्तत् । ते वै लोके क्रममुक्ता भवन्ति योगैः साङ्ख्यैः कर्मभिः सत्त्वयुक्तैः
Transliteration (IAST)
vāmadevaṃ ye'nusaranti nityaṃ mṛtvā janitvā ca punaḥpunastat | te vai loke kramamuktā bhavanti yogaiḥ sāṅkhyaiḥ karmabhiḥ sattvayuktaiḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
वाम-देवं ये अनुसरन्तिvāma-devaṃ ye anusarantiwho follow Vamadeva
नित्यंnityaṃcontinually
मृत्वा जनित्वा चmṛtvā janitvā cadying and being born
पुनः पुनः तत्punaḥ punaḥ tatagain and again, that same
ते वै लोकेte vai lokethey indeed, in the world
क्रम-मुक्ताः भवन्तिkrama-muktāḥ bhavantibecome liberated by stages
योगैः साङ्ख्यैः कर्मभिःyogaiḥ sāṅkhyaiḥ karmabhiḥby yogas, sankhyas, deeds
सत्त्व-युक्तैःsattva-yuktaiḥjoined with clarity
Translation
"Who continually follow Vamadeva, dying and being born again and again, — they become liberated by stages, in the world, by yogas, sankhyas, and deeds joined with clarity."
Version
21bb83d92904 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The second path is described: krama-mukti, "liberation by stages." It is long: it says mritva janitva cha punah punah, "dying and being born again and again"; and its means are yoga, Sankhya, deeds. The notion of krama-mukti is technical in Vedanta and denotes ascent through the worlds: a person attains the world of Brahma and is liberated at the end of creation, together with Brahma.
Worth noting is that both paths are called legitimate, and neither is rejected. Let us add what the Vaishnava side says of this distinction. It accepts it and points out that it is found in the Vedanta-sutra: the last part of the fourth chapter examines exactly two outcomes — those who go by the path of light and those who do not.
Its difference lies in what determines the speed. Here it is determined by the chosen method: some go quickly, others slowly, according to whom they follow. For it, speed is determined not by method, but by grace; and hence its practice is not built on the choice of a path.
The Bhagavatam says: mukundam harim atma-daiva-hetum — one who has abandoned everything and taken refuge in Mukunda owes nothing to anyone: not to gods, not to sages, not to ancestors, not to other beings (11.5.41). This position is sharp and means the ladder is bypassed: not because it is wrong, but because refuge is not a rung, but a change of allegiance.