Kena Upanisad🔗

Now, the fourth section of Kenopaniṣad.

❂ She, Devi Umā said – "It was Brahman, Consciousness. In that victory of Brahman, indeed, you became elated and attained glory thus." From that utterance alone, Indra learned and understood that – it was Brahman, Consciousness as Yakṣa. sā: she, Devi Umā; brahma iti: Brahman, Consciousness It was; ha uvāca: said; brahmaṇo: of the Brahman, Consciousness; vā (vai): indeed; etat: in this way; verse vijaye: in the victory; mahīyadhvam: became elated and attained glory; iti: thus; tato (tataḥ): from that; ha eva: alone; vidāñcakār: he learned, he 4.1 knew; brahma iti: that It was Brahman

ꕤ Therefore, indeed, these gods, namely Agni, Vāyu and Indra—the fire energy, wind energy and the chief of divine energies—did greatly surpass verse and excel beyond the other gods, because they indeed approached It, saw It, engaged in a conversation with It and thus 4.3 touched It, the BRAHMAN, in the nearest and closest space, and they knew 'It' first-as 'Brahman, Consciousness It is. verse 4.3 tasmāt: therefore; vā: even excel; ete: these; devā: gods (of senses); atitarām iva: surpassed greatly; anyān: other; devān: gods; yat: since; agnir: fire god, wind energy; vāyur: wind god, energy; indraste: and Indra; hy (hi): indeed; enan (enat): this; nediṣṭhaṁ: nearest; pasparśuḥ: touched; te: they; hy (hi): indeed; enat: this; prathamo (prathamaḥ): first; vidāñcakār: learnt, knew; brahma iti: it as Brahman

तस्माद्वा इन्द्रोऽतितरामिवान्यान्देवान् स ह्येनन्नेदिष्ठं पस्पर्श स ह्येनत्प्रथमो विदाञ्चकार ब्रह्मेति ॥ ३ ॥ ۞

verse 4.3

۞ Therefore, indeed, Indra excels and greatly surpasses the other gods, for he touched It in most nearest space, for he indeed knew ‘It’ first – as ‘Brahman Consciousness It is’ tasmāt: therefore; vā (vai): even excel; indro (indra): Indra, chief of gods; atitarām iva: surpassed greatly; anyān: other; devān: gods; saḥ: he; hy (hi): indeed; enan verse (enat): this (Being); nediṣṭhaṁ: nearest, closest; pasparśa: touched; saḥ: he; hi: indeed; enat: this; prathamo (prathamaḥ): first; 4.3 vidāñcakār: learnt, knew; brahma iti: it as Brahman

verse 4.4

☸ This is the instruction of the Brahman, Consciousness through the analogies [ādeśaḥ]. It is like that Truth which is known and revealed at once, verse 4.4 like the most striking phenomenon of external Nature – the flash of lightening, and Brahman appears and disappears (manifests and unmanifests) swiftly just as the blinking of an eye, which is the most minute, insignificant functions in the Nature within a man. Thus, these are the descriptions of Brahman (as the Source, Doer) in the Divine context of Its manifestation in Devas, the cosmic powers [adhidaivatam].

Brahman revealed Itself, in the manifested form as Devi Umā, before the Devas as sudden and swiftly as the flash of a heveanly skyward lightening and as the act of blinking of an eye.

verse 4.4 tasya: of It, Brahman; eṣaḥ: this; ādeśo (ādeśaḥ): instruction, teaching through analogy; yat: that; etat: Truth which (is known); vidyuto (vidyutaḥ): from the verse lightening; vyadyutat: that flash of lightening; ā: and, or (exclamation sound); iti: just as; nyamīmiṣad: act of winking, blinking; ā: and; iti: this is 4.4 way (describing); adhidaivatam: gods or cosmic powers, Divinity.

verse 4.5

۞ Now is the instruction through the analogy in the individual context of the Self within [adhyātmam]. It is fact that the mind seems to go to this Brahman and encompasses It as an object. And through this mind, by which Brahman gets objectified and seems to be revealed by the different states of mind, (such as thought, memory, contemplation, etc.,) one is again and again in close remembrance of Brahman; as also with intention, the power of thought of Brahman or Consciousness [saṅkalpaḥ].

verse 4.5

[In the Divine context, Adhidaivatam, the Brahman has the attributes of revealing Itself swiftly like a lightening or blinking. And in the context of the Soul or Self, it has the attribute of manifesting Itself simultaneously with the states of the mind. This is the instruction of Brahman through illustrative analogy.] atha: now; adhyātmam: with regard to instruction (through analogy) in context of the self (ātman) within; yat: that which is (known) as fact; etat: in this; gacchati: verse goes (into Brahman); iva: though; ca: and; manaḥ (mano): mind; anena: because of this (Brahman); ca: also; etat: this Brahman; upasmarati: 4.5 remembers closely, deeply; abhīkṣṇaṁ: always, every moment, again and again; saṅkalpaḥ: intention, vow, power of thought

۞ Brahman, Consciousness is certainly well known as Tadvanam, the adorable being to all as It is the indwelling Self in all beings and the goal of all verse 4.6 beings; hence Brahman is to be worshipped and meditated upon with the name—Tadvanam. Anyone who meditates and knows Brahman in this way, thus becomes established in oneness with Brahman, Consciousness, and radiates Brahman’s sacred all-loving and all-compassionate qualities onto others, and is therefore surely loved and prayed to by all other beings. tat: that; ha: certainly; tadvanam: lit. adorable as being the ātman of all; nāma: known, names; tadvanam iti: as tadvanam; upāsitavyam: should be meditated upon, verse worshipped; saḥ: he, anyone; yaḥ: who; etat: this (aforesaid); evam: thus; veda: knows; abhi: do; ha: surely; enam: to him; sarvāṇi: all; 4.6 bhūtāni: beings; saṁvāñchanti: pray, love.

[The disciple said:] “O Revered One, please speak about the Upaniṣad, the ultimate knowledge.”

verse 4.7 [Thus, to the disciple, the Master replied:] “I have already spoken and revealed to you the Upaniṣad. I have certainly imparted to you that very Upaniṣad about Brahman, Consciousness—knowledge of the Self.” upaniṣadaṁ: of the upaniṣad; bho: O revered one; brūhi: tell, speak; iti: so; uktā: has been told; te: to you; upaniṣad: upaniṣad; brāhmīṁ: relating to Brahman,

verse 4.7 Consciousness; vāva: certainly, indeed; te: to you; upaniṣadaṁ: upaniṣad; abrūma iti: we have told thus.

۞ Austerity of the mind, body and senses [tapaḥ], cessation from the sense-objects [damaḥ], and authentic work [karma] are Its feet, the foundation on which the Upaniṣad stands firmly and becomes active. The Vedas [vedāḥ] are all Its limbs. Truth [satya] is Its abode. tasyai: Its (of the Upaniṣad); tapaḥ: austerity; damaḥ: cessation from sense-objects; karma iti: authentic work; pratiṣṭhā: foundation, feet on which It stands; verse 4.8 vedāḥ: the Vedas; sarvāṅgāni: all the limbs; satyam: truth; āyatanam: abode, residence, support.

verse 4.9

۞ Anyone who thus, truly knows and realizes this Upaniṣad, this pure source of sacred wisdom of Brahman (Consciousness), having destroyed the seed of all incompletions constituted by ignorance, becomes established in the ultimate eternal and blissful abode of Brahman, remains firmly seated in the highest space of Infinity with Brahman. yaḥ vai: anyone who; etām: this (Upaniṣad); evaṁ: thus; veda: knows; apahatya: having destroyed; pāpmānam: incompletion, unrighteousness; anante: eternal, limitless; svarge: heavenly, all bliss; loke: world, abode; jyeye: the highest, the greatest; pratiṭiṣṭhati: resides, firmly establishes, is situated; verse 4.9 pratiṭiṣṭhati: resides, establishes, is situated

॥ इति केनोपनिषदि चतुर्थः खण्डः ॥

॥ iti kenopniṣatsamāptāḥ ॥

॥ thus ends the Kenopaniṣad ॥