Kena Upanisad
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Now, the first section of Kenopaniṣad.
śānti pāṭhaḥ ॐ आप्यायन्तु ममाङ्गानि वाक्प्राणश्चक्षुः श्रोत्रमथो बलमिन्द्रियाणि च सर्वाणि। सर्वं ब्रह्मोपनिषदं माऽहं ब्रह्म निराकुर्यां मा मा ब्रह्म
peace निराकरोदनिराकरणमस्त्वनिराकरणं मेऽस्तु। तदात्मनि निरते य उपनिषत्सु धर्मास्ते मयि सन्तु ते मयि सन्तु।
invocation ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
aum āpyāyantu mamāṅgāni vākprāṇaścakśuḥ śrotram-athobalam-indriyāṇi ca sarvāṇi । sarvaṁ brahmopniṣadam
śānti pāṭhaḥ mā’ham brahma nirākuryāmmāmābrahmanirākarod-anirākaraṇamstva- nirākaraṇam me’stu । tadātmani
peace nirate ya upaniṣatsu dharmāste mayi santu te mayi santu । aum śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ॥
invocation
AUṀ! May my limbs, speech, vital life-energy (prāṇa), eyes (sight), ears (hearing), strength; and all the senses be fully matured and be śānti pāṭhaḥ enriched [āpyāyantu] with power and energy. All is Brahman, Consciousness that is revealed in the Upaniṣads. [sarvam peace brahmopniṣadam]. May I never deny the existence of Brahman. May I never have incompletion with Brahman, invocation Consciousness. [māham brahma nirākuryām] May Brahman never deny me or withdraw Its grace from me. [mā mā brahma nirākarod]. Let there be no separation (from Brahman); Let me have Completion with Brahman, Consciousness. And let Brahman be complete with me. So be it. [anirākaraṇaṃ astu anirākaraṇaṃ śānti pāṭhaḥ me astu]. May all Dharmas, the Sacred Truths declared by Upaniṣads be fully manifest and radiate in me, who am integrated peace and authentically devoted to knowing and experiencing that Truth, Ātmā, the Complete Self. [tad ātmani nirate ya upaniṣatsu invocation dharmāste]. May they manifest and radiate in me! [mayi santu te mayi santu].
ॐ AUM. Let there be PEACE (in the inner space), PEACE (in the nature), PEACE (in the divine forces).
ॐ केनेषितं पतति प्रेषितं मनः केन प्राणः प्रथमः प्रैति युक्तः । केनेषितां वाचमिमां वदन्ति चक्षुः श्रोत्रं क उ देवो युनक्ति ॥ १ ॥
verse 1.1
keneṣitaṁ patati preṣitaṁ ● manaḥ kena prāṇaḥ prathamaḥ praiti yuktaḥ । ●
keneṣitāṁ vācamimāṁ vadanti cakṣuḥ śrotraṁ ka u devo yunakti ॥ 1 ॥
[enquiry...]
verse
1.1
| | | |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| ❂ By whom [kena] willed and united with which, does the first does this speech get activated and | caused [iṣitam], does the mind go towards (thinks) its object? vital life-energy, the chief cause [pratham prāṇa] comes forth speaks? Enlivened and directed by what luminious, divine power | By whom directed [preṣitam] and (towards its activities)? At whose will (by what invisible cause), indeed, do |
the eyes and the ears engage in their functions?
verse 1.1
kena: by whom; iṣitaṁ: willed, caused, animated; patati: falls, flows, goes towards; preṣitam (pra+iṣtam): directed; manaḥ: mind; kena: by whom; prāṇaḥ: life-energy; prathamaḥ: first, foremost; praiti: comes forth or goes; yuktaḥ: united with, engaged with; kena: by whom, by whose; iṣitam: will; vācamimām: this speech; vadanti: speaks, talks; cakṣuḥ: eyes; śrotam: ears; kau: what, who indeed; devaḥ: illumining, divine power, divinity, light; yunakti: engaged
श्रोत्रस्य श्रोत्रं मनसो मनो यद्वाचो ह वाचं स उ प्राणस्य प्राणः । चक्षुषश्चक्षुः अतिमुच्य धीराः प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवन्ति ॥ २ ॥
verse 1.2
śrotrasya śrotraṁ manaso mano yad vāco ha vācaṁ sa u prāṇasya prāṇaḥ ।
cakṣuṣaś-cakṣur-atimucya dhīrāḥ pretyāsmāllokād-amṛtā bhavanti ॥ 2 ॥
(revelation...) ۞ It, Consciousness is the Ear of the ear [śrotram - that by which one hears], the Mind of the mind [manaḥ - the faculty of thinking and intellect], the Speech of the speech [vāk - the energy that creates the sound vibration]. It indeed is the Vital Life of the life-energy [prāṇaḥ, the power of sustaining life], and It also is the Eye of the eye [cakśuḥ, the power of vision]. The wise, enlightened beings [dhīrāḥ], having liberated themselves (from the senses and identifying themselves with the subtle inexhustible Source), on leaving and rising beyond this ephemeral world, become immortal, eternal [amṛta bhavanti].
verse 1.2 śrotrasya: of the ears; śrotraṁ: ears, the instrument of hearing, that by which one hears; manaso: of the mind; mano (manaḥ): mind, the faculty of thinking, memory and intellect; yat: that which is; vāco: of the speech; ha: verily, indeed; vācaṁ: speech; sau: it again; prāṇasya: of the life-energy; prāṇaḥ: life-energy, the power of sustaining life; cakṣuṣ: eye; cakṣur: of the eye; atimucya: liberating them (from the context of these senses); dhīrāḥ: the wise, enlightened ones, who have a courageous, undisturbed, stable inner-space; Dhīraḥ is also a person who has the volition to withdraw the mind from objects external and quiten itself within ifrom the subjects of the senses; pretyā: on leaving, after death; asmāt: from this; lokād: (ephemeral) world; amṛtā: immortal, deathless; bhavanti: become.
verse
1.3,
1.4
न तत्र चक्षुर्गच्छति न वाग्गच्छति नो मनः। न विद्मो न विजानीमो यथैतदनुशिष्यात् ॥ ३ ॥
अन्यदेव तद्विदितादथो अविदितादधि। इति शुश्रुम पूर्वेषां ये नस्तद्व्याचचक्षिरे ॥ ४ ॥ ۞
na tatra cakṣurgacchati na vāg gacchati no manaḥ । na vidmo na vijānīmo yathaitadanuśiṣyāt ॥ 3 ॥
anyadeva tadviditādatho aviditādadhi । iti śuśruma pūrveṣāṁ ye nastad vyācacakṣire ॥ 4 ॥
۞ There the eye goes not, the speech goes not, nor the mind and intellect. We do not know, we do not understand how That Reality, Consciousness verse 1.3, 1.4 can be taught. It is distinct from the known (as it is far beyond man’s finite ‘objective’ nature, that is, what the mind, eyes, ears, or speech—the senses can perceive) and It is beyond the unknown (as it can be known by man’s Divine infinite ‘subjective’ nature). Thus have we heard from the ancient eternal beings who revealed and explained THAT to us.
verse
1.3,
1.4
na: not; tatra: there; cakṣuḥ: eyes; gacchati: goes; na: not; vāk: speech; gacchati: goes; no: not; manaḥ: mind and intellect; na: not; vidmaḥ: know; na: not; vijānīmaḥ: understand; yatha: how; etat: this; anuśisyāt: should be taught; anyat: distinct, other; eva: surely; tat: that; viditāt: from the known; altho: also; aviditāt: from the unknown; adhi: beyond, superior; iti: thus; śuśruma: heard, listened; pūrveṣām: from the ancients eternal (masters); ye: they; naḥ: to us; tat: that or consciousness, brahman; vyācacakṣire: revealed and explained
यद्वाचाऽनभ्युदितं येन वागभ्युद्यते । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ५ ॥ ۞
yyad-vācānabhyuditaṁ yena
vāgabhyudyate । tadeva brahma tvaṁ viddhi nedaṁ
yadidamupāsate ॥ 5 ॥
۞ That, which speech does not illumine or reveal, but by which the speech [vācā] is illumined or revealed and expressed—you must know That Reality alone as Brahman, Consciousness, and not what people worship and cherish here as this limited object.
yad (yat): that which is; vācā: by word; anabhyuditam: not illumine, not express; yena: by which; vāk: speech; abhyudyate: is illumined and expressed; tat: that; verse eva: alone; brahma: brahman, consciousness; tvam: you; viddhi: know; na: not: as this; yat: that which is; idam: this (limited object); upāsate: worship, cherish 1.5
verse
1.6
यन्मनसा न मनुते येनाहुर्मनो मतम् । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ६ ॥ ☸ yanmanasā na manute yenāhur-mano matam ।
tadeva brahma tvaṁ viddhi nedaṁ yadidamupāsate ॥ 6 ॥
verse 1.6
۞ That which cannot be thought of by the mind [manas, with its functions of intellect, intelligence, contemplation, cognition]; but by which, they say, the mind is able to think and cognize, being illumined by the light of infinite Cosmic Intelligence—you must know that very Source of Mind, That Reality alone as Brahman, Consciousness, and not this which is worshipped and cherished here as a finite, limited object [na idam upāsate].
verse 1.6 yat (yan): that which is; manasā: by the mind, itellect; na: not; manute: thought of; yena: because of which; āhur: they say; mano: mind itself is; matam: thought of, illumined; tad: that reality; eva: alone; brahma: brahman, consciousness; tvaṁ: you; viddhi: know; na: not; idam: this (limited object); yat: that which; idam: this; upāsate: worship
यच्चक्षुषा न पश्यति येन चक्षूँषि पश्यति । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ७ ॥ ❂ yaccakṣuṣā na paśyati yena cakṣūṁṣi paśyati । tadeva brahma
verse tvaṁ viddhi nedaṁ yadidamupāsate ॥ 7 ॥
1.7
❂ That which is not seen by the eye [cakṣus], but because of which the eye, the organ of sight, is able to see and perceive the seen—
you must know That Reality alone as Brahman, Consciousness [tat-eva brahma tvam viddhi], and not this which is worshipped
and cherished here as this object.
yac (yat): that which is; cakṣuṣā: eyes; na: not; paśyati: see; yena: by which; cakṣūṁṣi: acivities of the eyes, sight; paśyati: see; tad: that reality; eva: alone; verse brahma: brahman, consciousness; tvaṁ: you; viddhi: know; na: not; idam: this; yat: by which; idam: this (limited object); upāsate: is 1.7 worshipped, cherished
यच्छ्रोत्रेण न शृणोति येन श्रोत्रमिदं श्रुतम् । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥८॥ ❁ yacchrotreṇa na śṛṇoti yena śrotramidam śrutam । tadeva
verse
1.8
brahma tvaṁ viddhi nedaṁ yadidamupāsate ॥ 8 ॥ ❁ That which cannot be heard by the ear [śrotram], but by which the
ear is able to hear, and the hearing is perceived—you must know That Reality indeed as Brahman, Consciousness, and not
this which is worshipped and cherished here as this limited object.
yac (yat): that which is; cakṣuṣā: eyes; na: not; paśyati: see; yena: by which; cakṣūṁṣi: acivities of the eyes, sight; paśyati: see; tad: that reality; eva: alone; brahma: brahma, consciousness; tvaṁ: you; viddhi: know; na: not; idam: this; yat: by which; idam: this (limited object); upāsate: is worshipped
यत्प्राणेन न प्राणिति येन प्राणः प्रणीयते । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ९ ॥ ۞ yatprāṇena na prāṇiti yena prāṇaḥ praṇīyate । tadeva brahma
tvaṁ viddhi nedaṁ yadidamupāsate ॥ ९॥ ۞ That which one breathes not with the breathing, but by which the
breath in-breathes the vital life-energy [prāṇaḥ], being impelled by that Source of Life—you must know That Reality alone as
Brahman, Consciousness, and not this which is worshipped and cherished here as a limited object.
❁ That which cannot be smelled or perceived by the organ of smell [prāṇena], the breath; but by which the organ of smell [prāṇaḥ] is impelled to smell an object—you must know That Reality alone as Brahman, Consciousness, not this which is worshipped and cherished here as a a limited object.
- (Here prāṇeṇā ‘ by the ‘prāṇa’ may also be understood to mean ‘the organ of smell’ as the function of smell is enlivened by the power of prāṇa, the life energy)
verse 1.9
| yat: that which; prāṇena: by life, by (the organ of smell); praṇīyate: not; idaṁ: this; yat: by which; idaṁ: | breath, by the organ of smell; na: not; prāṇiti: does not smell; yena: impelled to in-breathe; tat: that; eva: alone; brahma: consciousness, this; upāsate: worship, cherish | by which (caused); prāṇaḥ: life-energy reality; tvaṁ: you; viddhi: know; na: |
॥ इति केनोपनिषदि प्रथमः खण्डः ॥
॥ iti kenopaniṣadi prathamaḥ khaṇḍaḥ ॥
Thus ends the first section of the Kenopaniṣad.
Guru urges disciple to enquire & directly ‘Know’ Brahman
🔴 ۞ द्वितीयः खण्डः ۞ dvitīyaḥ khaṇḍaḥ ۞ 🔴
Now, the second section of kenopaniṣad.
यदि मन्यसे सुवेदेति दहरमेवापि नूनं त्वं वेत्थ ब्रह्मणो रूपम् । यदस्य त्वं यदस्य देवेष्वथ नु मीमाँस्यमेव ते मन्ये विदितम् ॥ १ ॥ ❁
verse
2.1
yadi manyase suvedeti dahramevāpi nūnaṁ tvaṁ vettha brahmaṇo rūpam । yadasya tvaṁ yadasya deveṣvatha
nu mīmāṁsyameva te manye viditam ॥ 1 ॥
۞ [Guru says:] If you think, 'I know (Brahman) very well [manyase suveda iti]', then you certainly have known only very little expression of Brahman's true nature and form. What you know is conditioned by your limited perception of Brahman's expression in yourself (human) and Its expression among the Gods too. Therefore, Brahman, Consciousness, the Absolute Truth, even now, is still to be sincerely enquired into, contemplated and intranalyzed [mīmāṁsyam eva] by you.
[disciple now says:] I think Brahman, Consciousness is known to me. [manye viditam]
verse 2.1 yadi: if, perchance; manyase: think; surely; tvaṁ: you; vettha: know; its; tvaṁ: yourself; yat: what,
suveda iti: know very well; dabhram: very little; eva: only, indeed; brahmaṇaḥ: brahman, consciousness; rūpam: form or outer whatever; asya: is; deveṣvu: in the gods; atha: now; nu: therefore
api: also, perhaps; nūnaṁ: certainly, expression; yat: that, whatever is; asya: surely; mīmāṁsyam: contemplated upon; eva: still; te: they, them; manye: I think; viditam: know.
verse 2.1 The Guru, by uttering the words – “if you think you have known the Brahman very well, then you know very little and experienced nothing....dabhram eva api nūnaṃ tvam vettha bramaṇaḥ..” – objects to the falsity of the disciple in holding the delusion that – he knows, and that too, very well, suveda iti. These thunderbold like words of the Master, dis-illusion the disciple and purify his seeking to look for the truth of Brahman, the Source within. Although the disciple had heard the Guru and was intellectually convinced of the truth of his words—that is, verse 2.1 he had the objective knowledge — discerned by his self-limiting senses and mind, it was now necessary for the disciple, as a seeker of truth, to inner investigate, intra-analyze and have the direct evidence of That knowledge by the virtue of having his own subjective experience of what he had heard. Guided and initiated by the Guru, he deeply looked within himself through meditation on the meaning and essence of Brahman; and having gained a new vision, he approached the Guru once more...]
verse 2.1
Guru: 'How is Brahman known to you?' [Disciple answers....]
नाहं मन्ये सुवेदेति नो न वेदेति वेद च । यो नस्तद्वेद तद्वेद नो न वेदेति वेद च ॥२॥ ۞
verse 2.2
nāhaṁ manye suvedeti no na vedeti veda ca | yo nastadveda tadveda no na vedeti veda ca ॥ 2 ॥
۞ [The disciple said:] I do not think that I know It (Brahman) well and not that I do not know It—‘I know and I do not know as well.’ One, who amongst us, subjectively cognizes and knows That Consciousness to be—‘not that I do not know It’ (the Not-unknown Reality) and also ‘I know It not’ (the Unknown Reality)—truly knows that Brahman, Consciousness. verse na: not; aham: I; manye: think; suveda: know well; iti: this consciousness; no: not; na: not; veda: do know; iti: thus; veda: know; ca: and; yaḥ: anyone, one 2.2 who; naḥ: among us; tat: that principle; veda: known; tat: that; veda: knows; no: not; na: not; veda iti: as the known; veda: knows; ca: and
* Thus ends the conversation between the Master and the disciple. Now the Śruti is narrating...
यस्यामतं तस्य मतं मतं यस्य न वेद सः । अविज्ञातं विजानतां विज्ञातमविजानताम् ॥ ३ ॥ ۞
verse
2.3
yasyāmataṁ tasya mataṁ mataṁ yasya na veda saḥ । avijñātam vijānatāṁ vijñātmavijānatām ॥ 3 ॥
❂ He by whom Brahman, Consciousness is not known, to him It is Known; he by whom It is known, to him It is not known. verse 2.3 Brahman or Consciousness is unknown to those who know It well; Brahman or Consciousness is Known to those who do not know It.
He who thinks he knows It not, knows It, the Consciousness. He who thinks he knows It, the Consciousness, knows It not. The true knowers think verse they can never know the Consciousness because of Its infinity and eternity , while the ignorant think they know the 2.3 Consciousness, using the limited objects of mind and its modifications. verse yasya: by whom; amatam: not known; tasya: by him, by whom; matam: known, cognized, understood; matam: known; yasya: by whom; na: not; veda: known, 2.3 cognized; saḥ: him; avijñātam: unknown, knows not; vijānatām: who knows, wise knowers; vijñātam: who knows; avijānatām: unknown, knows not, ignorant
प्रतिबोधविदितं मतममृतत्वं हि विन्दते । आत्मना विन्दते वीर्यं विद्यया विन्दतेऽमृतम् ॥ ४ ॥
pratibodha-viditaṁ matam- amṛtatvaṁ hi vindate । ātmanā vindate vīryaṁ vidyayā vindate ‘mṛtam ॥ 4 ॥
✺ It, Brahman, Consciousness is truly known, when the Self is cognized (and subjectively known) to oneself [pratibodha] as the witness to each state of Consciousness with every modification of the (objective or relative) mind and intellect. Through such complete, matured cognition of the witnessing Self, is attained Immortality [amṛtatvam]—existence in one's own Self.
By Ātman, the Self is attained real strength, the space of powerfulness [vīryam] by identifying oneself with the Infinite Self, the power of Consciousness. And by Vidyā, complete knowledge of the Self is experienced Immortality [amṛta], which is the true nature of Ātman—the space verse of oneness with Consciousness (Brahman). 2.4 pratibodha: conscious cognition (as the Self) to oneself; viditam: awakened, known; matam: known, cognized; amṛtatvaṁ: immortality; hi: truly, certainly; vindate: attains, experiences; ātmanā: ātman, self; vindate: attain, experience; vīryam: strength, powerfulness; vidyayā: by knowledge of the self; vindate: experiences; amṛtam: nectar of immortality, deathlessness, oneness with brahman
verse 2.4
[note: Pratibodha: means that the Self is known to oneself, it is known in reference to each state of Consciousness or intelligence. Bodha – implies the different cognitions. Pratibodha implies: from the knowledge of the Self in reference to Self being the witness of each state of Consciousness.]
इह चेदवेदीदथ सत्यमस्ति न चेदिहावेदीन्महती विनष्टिः । भूतेषु भूतेषु विचित्य धीराः प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवन्ति ॥ ५ ॥ ۞
verse
2.5
iha cedavedīdatha satyamasti na cedihāvedīnmahatī vinaṣṭiḥ ।
bhūteṣu bhūteṣu vicitya dhīrāḥ pretyāsmāllokādamṛtā bhavanti ॥ 5 ॥
❂ If one has known and realized the Consciousness, Brahman here (even while living) in this world, then there is the Truth [satyam asti]. If one does verse not know and realize the Consciousness (while living) here, then a great destruction (of continuous birth, old age and death) 2.5 awaits him. Therefore, the wise, enlightened beings, having realized the Truth (of Oneness in all beings), and being liberated by rising beyond the ephemeral world of duality (and ignorance), become immortal—Consciousness, Brahman indeed [amṛta bhavanti].
iha: here; cet: if; avedīt: has known; atha: then; satyam: truth; asti: is, there is; na: not; cet: if; iha: here; avedīt: known; mahatī: great; vinaṣṭiḥ: destruction; verse bhūteṣu: in all; bhūteṣu: beings; vicitya: having realized; dhīrāḥ: wise, enlightened beings; pretya: rising, leaving; asmāt: from this; lokāt: 2.5 ephemeral world (of senses); amṛtā: immortal, eternal; bhavanti: become
॥ इति केनोपनिषदि द्वितीयः खण्डः ॥
॥ iti kenopaniṣadi dvitīyaḥ khaṇḍaḥ ॥
Thus ends the second section of the Kenopaniṣad.