Kena Upanishad
Peace Chant
May my limbs, speech, Prana (life-force), sight, hearing, strength and all my senses, gain in vigor. All is the Brahman (Supreme Lord) of the Upanishads May I never deny the Brahman. May the Brahman never deny me. May there be no denial of the Brahman. May there be no separation from the Brahman. May all the virtues declared in the sacred Upanishads be manifest in me, who am devoted to the Atman (Higher Self). May they be manifest in me.
OM! Peace! Peace! Peace!
Part First
I By whom commanded and directed does the mind go towards its objects? Commanded by whom does the life force, the first (cause) move? At whose will do men utter speech? What power directs the eye and the car?
II It is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the speech of the speech, the life of the life, the eye of the eye. The wise, freed (from the senses and from mortal desires), after leaving this world, become immortal.
III There the eye does not go, nor speech nor mind. We do not know That; we do not understand how It can be taught. It is distinct from the known and also It is beyond the unknown. Thus we have heard from the ancient (teachers) who told us about It.
IV That which speech does not illumine, but which illumines speech: know that alone to be Hrahman (the Supreme Being), not this which people worship here.
V That which cannot be thought by mind, but by which, they say, mind is able to think: know that alone to be the Brahman, not this which people worship here.
VI That which is not seen by the eye, but by which the eye is able to see: know that alone to be the Brahman, not his which people worship here.
VII That which cannot be heard by the ear, but by which the ear is able to hear; know that alone to be Brahman, not this which people worship here.
VIII That which none breathes with the breath, but by which breath is inbreathed; know that alone to be the Brahman, not this which people worship here.
Part Second
I If thou thinkest “I know It well,” then it is certain that thou knowest but little of the Brahman (Absoulte Truth), or in what feom He (resideth) in the Devas (minor aspects of Deity). Therefore I think that what thou thinkest to be known is still to be sought after.
II The disciple said: I do not think I know It well, nor do I think that I do not known it. He among us who knows It truly, knows (what is meant by) “I know” and also what is meant by “I know It not”.
III He who think he knows It not, knows It. He who thinks he knows It, knows It not. The true knowers think they can never know It (because of its infinitude), while the ignorant think they know it.
IV It (Brahman) is known, when It is known in every state of consciousness. (Through such knowledge( one attains immortality. By attaining this self, man gains strength; and by self-knowledge immorality is attained.
V If one knows It here, that is Truth; if one knows It not here, then great is his loss. The wise seeing the same self in all beings, being liberated from this world become immortal.
Part Third
I The Brahman once won a victory for the Devas. Through that victory of the Brahman, the Devas became elated. They thought, “This victory is ours. This glory is ours”.
II The Brahman perceive this and appeared before them. They did not known what mysterious form it was.
III They said to Fire: “O Jataveda (All knowing)! Find out what mysterious spirit this is” He said ; “Yes”
IV He ran towards it and He (Brahman) Said to him: “Who art thou?” “I am Agni, I am Jataveds,” he (the Fire-god) replied.
V Brahman asked ; “What power resides in there?” Agni replied: “I can burn up all whatsoever exists on earth”.
VI Brahman placed a straw before him and said : “Burn this”. He (agni) rushed towards it with all speed, but was not able to burn it. So he returned from there and said (to the Devas): “I was not able to find out what this great mystery is”
VII Then they said to Vayu (the Air-god) “Vayu! Find our what this mystery is” He said: “Yes”.
VIII He ran towards it and He (Brahman) said to him: “Who art thou? “ I am Vayu, I am Matarisva (traveler of Heaven): he (Vayu) said.
IX Then the Brahman said: “What power is in thee?” Vayu replied: “I can blow way all whatsoever exists on earth.”
X Brahman placed a straw before him and said: “Blow this away”. He (Vayu) rushed towards it with all speed, but was not able to blow it away. So he returned from there and said (to the Devas): “I was not able to find out what this great mystery is”.
XI Then they said to Indra : “O Maghavan (Worshipful One)! Find out what this mystery is” He said: Yes” and ran towards, it, but is disappeared before him.
XII Then he saw in that very space a woman beautifully adorned, Uma of golden hue, daughter of Haimavat (Hisalaya). He asked : “What is this great mystery?
Part fourth
I She (Uma) said : “It is Brahman. It is through the victory of Brahman that year victorious”. Then from her words, he (Indira) know that it (that myserious form) was Brahman.
II Therefore these Devas, - Agni, Vayu and Indra – excel other Devas, because they came near to Brahman. It was they who first knew this spirit as Brahman.
III Therefore Indra excels all other Devas, because he came nearest to Brahman, and because he first (before all others) knws this spirit as Brahman.
IV Thus the teaching of Brahman is here illustrated in regard to the Devas. He flashed like lighting, and appeared and disappeared just the eye winks.
V Next (the teaching) is regarding Adhydtman (the embodied Soul). The mind seems to approach Him (Brahman). By this mind (the seeker) again and again remembers and thinks about Brahman.
VI That Brahman is called Tadvanam (object of adoration). He is to be worshipped by the name Tadvanam. He who knows Brahman thus, is loved by all beings.
VII The disciple asked: O Master, teach me the Upanishad. (The teacher replied)The Upanishad has been taught thee. We have certainly taught thee the Upanishad about Brahman.
VIII The Upanishad is based on tapas (pracetice of the control of body, mind and senses), dama (subjugation of the senses), karma (right performance of prescribed actions). The Vedas are its limbs. Truth is it support.
IX He who knows this (wisdom of the Upanishad), having been cleansed of all sin, becomes established in the blissful, eternal and highest abode of Brahman, in the highest abode of Brahman.
Here ends this Upanishad.
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Peace Chant
May my limbs, speech, Prana (life-force), sight, hearing, strength and all my senses, gain in vigor. All is the Brahman (Supreme Lord) of the Upanishads May I never deny the Brahman. May the Brahman never deny me. May there be no denial of the Brahman. May there be no separation from the Brahman. May all the virtues declared in the sacred Upanishads be manifest in me, who am devoted to the Atman (Higher Self). May they be manifest in me.
OM! Peace! Peace! Peace!
Part First
I By whom commanded and directed does the mind go towards its objects? Commanded by whom does the life force, the first (cause) move? At whose will do men utter speech? What power directs the eye and the car?
II It is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the speech of the speech, the life of the life, the eye of the eye. The wise, freed (from the senses and from mortal desires), after leaving this world, become immortal.
III There the eye does not go, nor speech nor mind. We do not know That; we do not understand how It can be taught. It is distinct from the known and also It is beyond the unknown. Thus we have heard from the ancient (teachers) who told us about It.
IV That which speech does not illumine, but which illumines speech: know that alone to be Hrahman (the Supreme Being), not this which people worship here.
V That which cannot be thought by mind, but by which, they say, mind is able to think: know that alone to be the Brahman, not this which people worship here.
VI That which is not seen by the eye, but by which the eye is able to see: know that alone to be the Brahman, not his which people worship here.
VII That which cannot be heard by the ear, but by which the ear is able to hear; know that alone to be Brahman, not this which people worship here.
VIII That which none breathes with the breath, but by which breath is inbreathed; know that alone to be the Brahman, not this which people worship here.
Part Second
I If thou thinkest “I know It well,” then it is certain that thou knowest but little of the Brahman (Absoulte Truth), or in what feom He (resideth) in the Devas (minor aspects of Deity). Therefore I think that what thou thinkest to be known is still to be sought after.
II The disciple said: I do not think I know It well, nor do I think that I do not known it. He among us who knows It truly, knows (what is meant by) “I know” and also what is meant by “I know It not”.
III He who think he knows It not, knows It. He who thinks he knows It, knows It not. The true knowers think they can never know It (because of its infinitude), while the ignorant think they know it.
IV It (Brahman) is known, when It is known in every state of consciousness. (Through such knowledge( one attains immortality. By attaining this self, man gains strength; and by self-knowledge immorality is attained.
V If one knows It here, that is Truth; if one knows It not here, then great is his loss. The wise seeing the same self in all beings, being liberated from this world become immortal.
Part Third
I The Brahman once won a victory for the Devas. Through that victory of the Brahman, the Devas became elated. They thought, “This victory is ours. This glory is ours”.
II The Brahman perceive this and appeared before them. They did not known what mysterious form it was.
III They said to Fire: “O Jataveda (All knowing)! Find out what mysterious spirit this is” He said ; “Yes”
IV He ran towards it and He (Brahman) Said to him: “Who art thou?” “I am Agni, I am Jataveds,” he (the Fire-god) replied.
V Brahman asked ; “What power resides in there?” Agni replied: “I can burn up all whatsoever exists on earth”.
VI Brahman placed a straw before him and said : “Burn this”. He (agni) rushed towards it with all speed, but was not able to burn it. So he returned from there and said (to the Devas): “I was not able to find out what this great mystery is”
VII Then they said to Vayu (the Air-god) “Vayu! Find our what this mystery is” He said: “Yes”.
VIII He ran towards it and He (Brahman) said to him: “Who art thou? “ I am Vayu, I am Matarisva (traveler of Heaven): he (Vayu) said.
IX Then the Brahman said: “What power is in thee?” Vayu replied: “I can blow way all whatsoever exists on earth.”
X Brahman placed a straw before him and said: “Blow this away”. He (Vayu) rushed towards it with all speed, but was not able to blow it away. So he returned from there and said (to the Devas): “I was not able to find out what this great mystery is”.
XI Then they said to Indra : “O Maghavan (Worshipful One)! Find out what this mystery is” He said: Yes” and ran towards, it, but is disappeared before him.
XII Then he saw in that very space a woman beautifully adorned, Uma of golden hue, daughter of Haimavat (Hisalaya). He asked : “What is this great mystery?
Part fourth
I She (Uma) said : “It is Brahman. It is through the victory of Brahman that year victorious”. Then from her words, he (Indira) know that it (that myserious form) was Brahman.
II Therefore these Devas, - Agni, Vayu and Indra – excel other Devas, because they came near to Brahman. It was they who first knew this spirit as Brahman.
III Therefore Indra excels all other Devas, because he came nearest to Brahman, and because he first (before all others) knws this spirit as Brahman.
IV Thus the teaching of Brahman is here illustrated in regard to the Devas. He flashed like lighting, and appeared and disappeared just the eye winks.
V Next (the teaching) is regarding Adhydtman (the embodied Soul). The mind seems to approach Him (Brahman). By this mind (the seeker) again and again remembers and thinks about Brahman.
VI That Brahman is called Tadvanam (object of adoration). He is to be worshipped by the name Tadvanam. He who knows Brahman thus, is loved by all beings.
VII The disciple asked: O Master, teach me the Upanishad. (The teacher replied)The Upanishad has been taught thee. We have certainly taught thee the Upanishad about Brahman.
VIII The Upanishad is based on tapas (pracetice of the control of body, mind and senses), dama (subjugation of the senses), karma (right performance of prescribed actions). The Vedas are its limbs. Truth is it support.
IX He who knows this (wisdom of the Upanishad), having been cleansed of all sin, becomes established in the blissful, eternal and highest abode of Brahman, in the highest abode of Brahman.
Here ends this Upanishad.
Download ebook
