Kena Upanisad🔗

Now, the third section of the Kenopaniṣad.

❂ It is said that the Brahman, Consciousness once won a victory for enriching the Devas, Gods (over the demons). Though that victory was of verse the Brahman, the Devas became elated by it. They thought to themselves, “Ours indeed is this victory. Ours verily is this glory and 3.1 this greatness.”

brahma: brahman, consciousness; ha: it is said; devebhyaḥ: for the devas, gods; vijigye: won a victory; tasya: of that; ha: became; brahmaṇo: of the brahman; verse vijaye: in the victory; devāḥ: gods; amahīyanta: elated; te (ta): they; aikṣanta: thought; asmākam: ours; eva: indeed; ayam: this; vijayaḥ: 3.1 victory; asmākam: ours; eva: really, verily; ayam: this; mahimā: glory, greatness; iti: thus

verse 3.2 Its uncompromising compassion for them, It indeed visibly appeared before them, the gods of senses 'as an object of perception' with an absolutely graceful, wonderful form created by Brahman's own power. They did not know or understand That manifest Brahman. 'What wonderful, great being [yakṣaḥ] is this?', they thus said. tat: that; ha: then; eṣāṁ: their; vijājñau: knew, understood; tebhyaḥ: to them; ha: indeed; prādurbabhūva: appeared, manifested; tat (tan): that; na: not; verse 3.2 vyajānat: know, understand; kim: what; idaṁ: this; yakṣam: divine, wonderful being, spirit; iti: thus.

verse 3.3

۞ They said to Agni (Fire): ‘O ● Jātavedas (all-knower), do find out and know thoroughly ● what this wonderful, divine being is.’ ‘So be it’, said Agni and agreed.

verse 3.3 te: they, the gods; agnim: to agni, fire kim: what, who; etat: this; yakṣam: god; abruvañ: said; jātaveda: O agni, fire god (representing the ‘all-spirit, divine being; iti: thus; tathā: yes; iti: so (said Agni). knower’); etat: this; vijānīhi: find out;

۞ He, Agni ran towards It, Brahman. To him, the Brahman spoke: ‘Who are you?’ “I am indeed Agni. I am well known as Jātavedas, the knower of all that is created,’ thus he said. tat: to that; abhyadravat: hastened, run towards; tam: him; abhyavadat: asked; kaḥ: who; asi: are you; iti: thus; agnir (agniḥ): fire; vai: verily; aham: I; asmi: verse am; itya (iti): am; abravīt: said; jātavedā: agni, knower of all that is created; vāi: known; aham: I; asmi: am; iti: so 3.4

❂ Yakṣa (Brahman) asked Agni, the fire-god – 'What power resides in you, such as you are? 'Indeed, I can burn-up and consume everything here—whatever there is on the earth!' said Agni. tasmin: in; tvayi: you; kiṁ: what; vīryam: power; iti: thus; api: also; idaṁ: this; sarvaṁ: all, everything; daheyaṁ: I can burn; yat: whatever; idaṁ: this; verse pṛthivyām: on earth; iti: so (he said) 3.5

❂ Brahman placed a straw, a blade of grass before him (agni) and then said: “Burn this.” verse Fire (Agni) rushed towards It with all speed and power, with full enthusiasm, but was not able to burn and consume that mere 3.6 straw. So, he indeed returned from there and thus said (to the Devas, gods of senses): “I have not been able to know fully or ascertain what this great, mysterious being, Yakṣa is.” tasmai: before him, to him; tṛṇaṁ: straw, blade of grass; nidadhau: placed; etat: this, mere straw; daha: burn, in my front; iti: thus, then; tat: that (fire);

verse upapreyāya: approached, went near; sarvajavena: in all speed, rush; tan (tat): that (brahman); na: not; śaśāka: able, could; dagdhuṁ: to burn, 3.6 consume; saḥ: he (agni); tataḥ: so, from that; eva: also, indeed; nivavṛte: returned, withdrew ; na: not; etat: this; aśakaṁ: succeed; vijñātuṁ: in knowing fully; yat: as to what; etat: this; yakṣam: divine, celestial being; iti: thus

verse 3.7 ۞ Then they, the Gods of senses, said to Vāyu (the wind energy or Mātariśvā), the one that moves and expands: ‘O Vāyu, do find this out thoroughly and know, what this wonderful celestial being is.’ Vāyu thus agreed and said, ‘So be it.’ verse 3.7 atha: then; vāyum: to vāyu, wind god; abruvan: (gods) said; vāyo: O Vāyu (lit. one that moves); etat: this; vijānīhi: find out thoroughly; kim: what; etat: this; yakṣam: divine, celestial being; iti: thus; tathā iti: yes, so be it, agreed

۞ He, Vāyu moved and ran towards It, the Brahman. That being (Brahman) asked Vāyu: "Who are you?" "I am Vāyu, I am indeed Mātariśvā, the life-energy that moves and expands itself in space," he (Vayu) thus said. tat: that; abhyadravat: ran towards; tam (tat): that; abhyavadat: (the being) asked; kaḥ: who; asi: is; iti: are you; vāyuḥ (vāyur): wind; vāi: famous; aham: I; verse 3.8 asmi-iti: I am; abravīn (abravīt): he replied; mātariśvā: life-energy that moves and expands itself in space; vā (vai): verily; aham: I; asmi: am; iti: thus

❁ Brahman said: "What power is there in you, who are so well known?" Vāyu, the wind energy replied: "I can indeed carry off and blow away all this—whatever there is on earth." tasmiṇ: It being so; tvayi: in you (of such fame); kiṁ: what; vīryam: power; iti: thus; api: indeed; idaṁ: this; sarvam: all, everything; ādadīya: I can take up, verse 3.9 blow away; yat: what, whatever; idaṁ: this, there is; pṛthivyām: on earth; iti: so, thus (he replied)

verse 3.10

verse 3.10 all his strength and speed, but could not even move the straw. So, then he indeed returned from the Being (Brahman) and said to the gods of senses: “I could not know fully or ascertain who this great, wonderful Being, Yakṣa is.” tasmai: before him; tṛṇaṁ: straw, blade of grass; nidadhau: placed; etat: this (mere straw); ādatsva: take up, blow off; iti: thus, then; tat: that (wind); upapreyāya: verse approached, went near; sarvajavena: in all speed, rush; tan (tat): that (brahman); na: not; śaśāka: able, could; ādātum: to take up, blow away; 3.10 saḥ: he (wind); tataḥ: so, from that; eva: also, indeed; nivavṛte: returned, withdrew; na: not; etat: this; aśakaṁ: succeed; vijñātuṁ: in knowing fully; yat: as to what; etat: this; yakṣam: divine being; iti: thus, then.

☀️ Then they, the gods of senses, said to Indra, the chief of gods — “O Maghavan (Worshipful One with strength)! Do find out thoroughly and know verse what this mystery, this wonderful Being, Yakṣa is.” 3.11 He, Indra agreed and said: “Yes, so be it”. He thus approached It and ran towards It, the Brahman; but It, Brahman (Consciousness), unmanifested Itself and thus disappeared from sight before him. atha: then; indram: Indra, chief of all god of senses; abruvan: (the gods) said; maghavan: O Maghavā; etad (etat): this; vijānīhi: find out thoroughly; kim: what; verse etat: this; yakṣam: Divine being; iti: thus; tathā: yes; so be; iti: thus (spoke); tat: that; abhyadravat: he ran; tasmāt: from him; tirodadhe: It 3.11 disappeared, vanished (from sight)

[Then, in that very space, Indra remained and did manana, deeply contemplated in his mind, what or who this Yakṣa is? Unlike Agni, Vāyu, he did not verse return back, but remained at that very same space, devoted to knowing the Truth of Brahman, that he had witnessed as the power of 3.12 Yakṣa. Understanding his sincerity, Brahman appeared as Devi Umā, the knowledge, energy and active manifestation of Brahman.]

☸ Then, he, Indra, in that very same space, came upon and beheld the vision of a woman, wondrously beautiful and exceedingly graceful, who was verse brightly glowing, adorned in gold—Umā Devi, daughter of Haimāvat, the king of Himālayas or (Brahmavidyā, the pure knowledge 3.12 of Brahman in the form of Devi Umā). He (Indra) approached Her, Devi Umā and said: 'Please tell me, what is this wonderful, divine being, Yakṣa? Who could this Yakṣa be, who showed Itself and then disappeared?' verse 3.12 sa: He (Indra); tasmin: in that; eva: very; akāśe: space; striyam: woman; ājagāma: came upon; bahu-śobhamānām: wondrously beautiful, exceedingly graceful (energy of Brahman); umāṁ: Devi Umā; haimavatīṁ: well-adorned with golden ornaments, daughter of Haimāvat (the King of Himālayas); tāṁ: to Her; hovāca: said ; kim: what; etat: this; yakṣam: celestial, divine being ; iti: thus

॥ इति केनोपनिषदि तृतीयः खण्डः ॥

॥ iti kenopaniṣadi tritīyaḥ khaṇḍaḥ ॥

॥ thus ends the third part of Kenopaniṣad ॥