Kena Upanishad

ॐ केनेषितम् पतति प्रेषितं मनः केन प्राणः प्रथमः प्रैति युक्तः । केनेषितां वाचामिमां वदन्ति चक्षुः श्रोत्रं क उ देवो युनक्ति ॥

By whose command does the mind move towards its object? By whom is the vital force, the first to act, directed? By whose will do people speak these words? Which god directs the eye and the ear?

श्रोत्रस्य श्रोत्रं मनसो मनो यद्वाचो ह वाचं स उ प्राणस्य प्राणः । चक्षुषश्चक्षुरतिमुच्य धीराः प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवन्ति ॥

That which is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the speech of speech, the breath of breath, and the eye of the eye—knowing that, the wise, leaving this world, become immortal.

न तत्र चक्षुर्गच्छति न वाग्गच्छति नो मनो न विद्मो न विजानिमो यथैतदनुशिष्यादन्यदेव तदविदितादथो अविदितादधि । इति शुश्रुम पुर्वेषां ये नस्तद्व्याचचक्षिरे ॥

There the eye does not go, nor speech, nor mind; we do not know, nor do we understand how one would teach it. It is different from the known, and also beyond the unknown. Thus we have heard from those of old who explained it to us.

यद्वाचानभ्युदितं येन वागभ्युध्यते । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥

That which is not uttered by speech, but by which speech is uttered—know that alone as Brahman, not this which people worship here.

यन्मनसा न मनुते येनाहुर्मनो मतम् । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥

That which the mind does not think, but by which the mind is said to be thought—know that alone as Brahman, not this which people worship here.

यच्चक्षुषा न पश्यते येन चक्षूंषि पश्यति । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥

That which the eye does not see, but by which the eyes are made to see—know that alone as Brahman, not this which people worship here.

यच्छ्रोत्रेण न श्रुणोति येन श्रोत्रमिदं श्रुतम् । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥

That which the ear does not hear, but by which the ear is made to hear—know that alone as Brahman, not this which people worship here.

यन्प्राणेन न प्राणिति येन प्राणः प्रणियते । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ इति केनोपनषदि प्रथमः खण्डः ॥

That which the breath does not vitalize, but by which breath is directed—know that alone as Brahman, not this which people worship here. Thus ends the first section of the Kena Upanishad.

यदि मन्यसे सुवेदेति दभ्रमेवापि नूनं त्वं वेत्थ ब्रह्मणो रुपम् । यदस्य त्वं यदस्य देवेष्वथ नु मीमांस्यमेव ते मन्ये विदितम् ॥

If you think, 'I know it well,' then you know only a little of Brahman's form. What you know among the gods, and what you know among men, is only partial. I think you must still inquire further into it.

नाहं मन्ये सुवेदेति नो न वेदेति वेद च । यो नस्तद्वेद तद्वेद नो न वेदेति वेद च ॥

I do not think I know it well, nor do I not know it. He among us who understands this, knows it; nor do I think I do not know it.

यस्यामतं तस्य मतं मतं यस्य न वेद सः । अविज्ञातं विजानतां विज्ञातमविजानताम् ॥

For him who thinks he knows, it is unknown; for him who does not think he knows, it is known. It is unknown to those who think they know, but known to those who do not think they know.

प्रतिबोधविदितं मतममृतत्वं हि विन्दते । आत्मना विन्दते वीर्यं विद्यया विन्दतेऽमृतम् ॥

It is realized when it is known in every state of consciousness, for by such knowledge one attains immortality. By the Self one gains strength; by knowledge one attains immortality.

इह चेदवेदीदथ सत्यमस्ति न चेदिहावेदीन्महती विनष्टिः । भुतेषु भुतेषु विचित्य धीराः प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवन्ति ॥ इति केनोपनिषदि द्वितियः खण्डः ॥

If one knows it here, then there is truth; if one does not know it here, there is great loss. The wise, having realized it in all beings, become immortal after departing from this world. Thus ends the second section of the Kena Upanishad.

ब्रह्म ह देवेभ्यो विजिग्ये तस्य ह ब्रह्मणो विजये देवा अमहीयन्त त एक्षन्तास्माकमेवायं विजयोऽस्माकमेवायं महिमेति ॥

Brahman indeed won victory for the gods. The gods became proud of that victory of Brahman, thinking, 'This victory is ours; this greatness is ours alone.'

तद्धैषां विजज्ञौ तेभ्यो ह प्रादुर्बभूव तन्न व्यजानत किमिदं यक्षमिति ॥

Brahman knew their pride. It appeared before them, but they did not recognize what this mysterious being was.

तेऽग्निमब्रुवञ्जातवेद एतद् विजानीहि किमिदं यक्षमिति तथेति ॥

They said to Agni, 'O Jātavedas, find out what this mysterious being is.' He replied, 'Yes.'

तदभ्यद्रवत् तमभ्यवदत् कोऽसीत्यग्निर्वा अहमस्मीत्यब्रवीज्जातवेदा वा अहमस्मीति ॥

He ran toward it. It spoke to him, 'Who are you?' He replied, 'I am Agni; I am Jātavedas.'

तस्मिन्स्त्वयि किम् वीर्यमिति । अपीदंसर्वं दहेयम्, यदिदं पृथिव्यामिति ॥

He said to him, 'What power is there in you?' 'I could burn up all this that is upon the earth,' he replied.

तस्मै तृणं निदधावेतद्दहेति । तदुपप्रेयाय सर्वजवेन तन्न शशाक दग्धुं स तत् एव नेववृते, नैतदशकं विज्ञातुं यदेतद् यक्षमिति ॥

To him he placed a blade of grass and said, 'Burn this.' He approached it with all his might, but was not able to burn it. He turned back from it, and he could not understand what that spirit was.

अथ वायुमब्रुवन् वायवेतद् विजानीहि किमेतद् यक्षमिति तथेति ॥

Then they said to Vāyu, 'Vāyu, find out what this spirit is.' 'Very well,' he said.

तदभ्यद्रवत् तमभ्यवदत् कोऽसीति । वायुर्वा अहमस्मीत्यब्रवीन्मातरिश्वा वा अहमस्मीति ॥

He approached it, and it said to him, 'Who are you?' He replied, 'I am Vāyu, I am Mātariśvan.'

तस्मिन्स्त्वयि किम् वीर्यमिति । अपीदं सर्वमाददीयम्, यदिद्ं पृथिव्यामिति ॥

He said to him, 'What power is there in you?' 'I could carry away all this that is upon the earth,' he replied.

तस्मै तृणं निदधावेतदादत्स्वेति । तदुपप्रेयाय सर्वजवेन तन्न शशाकादातुं स तत् एव निववृते, नैतदशकं विज्ञातुं यदेतद् यक्षमिति ॥

To him he placed a blade of grass and said, 'Take this up.' He approached it with all his speed, but was not able to take it. He turned back from it, and he could not understand what that spirit was.

अथैन्द्रमब्रुवन् मघवन्नेतद् विजानीहि किमेतद् यक्षमिति । तथेति । तदभ्यद्रवत् । तस्मात् तिरोदधे ॥

Then they said to Indra, 'Maghavan, find out what this spirit is.' 'Very well,' he said. He approached it, but it disappeared from him.

स तस्मिन्नेवाकाशे स्त्रियमाजगाम बहुशोभमानामुमांहैमवतीं तांहोवाच किमेतद् यक्षमिति ॥ इति केनोपनिषदि तृतीयः खण्डः ॥

In that very space he came upon a woman, exceedingly beautiful, Uma, the daughter of Himavat. He asked her, 'What is this spirit?' Thus ends the third section of the Kena Upanishad.

सा ब्रह्मेति होवाच । ब्रह्मणो वा एतद्विजये महीयध्वमिति, ततो हैव विदाञ्चकार ब्रह्मेति ॥

She said, 'It is Brahman. In the victory of Brahman, you should rejoice.' Then he understood that it was Brahman.

तस्माद्वा एते देवा अतितरामिवान्यान् देवान् यदग्निर्वायुरिन्द्रस्ते ह्येनन्नेदिष्ठं पस्पृशुस्ते ह्येनत् प्रथमो विदाञ्चकार ब्रह्मेति ॥

Therefore, these gods—Agni, Vāyu, and Indra—excel the other gods, for they came nearest to That and were the first to know that it was Brahman.

तस्माद् वा इन्द्रोऽतितरामिवान्यान् देवान् स ह्येनन्नेदिष्ठं पस्पर्श, स ह्येनत् प्रथमो विदाञ्चकार ब्रह्मेति ॥

Therefore, Indra excels the other gods, for he came nearest to That and was the first to know that it was Brahman.

तस्यैष आदेशो यदेतद् विद्युतो व्यद्युतदा इतीन्न्यमीमिषदा इत्यधिदैवतम् ॥

This is its instruction: as lightning flashes forth, or as the eye blinks—such is its manifestation among the gods.