Kena Upanisad

This Upaniñad explains the Supreme, but without revealing His personality directly. The Upaniñad is in fact named after its first word, kena ("by whom?"), which is grammatically in an "oblique" case. The Supreme is "obliquely" revealed as the inspirer and controller of all the functions of the mind and senses and of the demigods. Although it is not unequivocally said here that Brahman is personal, it does show its own power to reveal itself and create success for individual persons.

1 The Supreme, Brahman, is unknown to the mind and knowledge-acquiring senses. They gain their access to knowledge through Brahman.

One who thinks he knows Brahman completely doesn't, while one who recognizes that he doesn't know Brahman completely actually knows something about Brahman.

3 Story of Brahman exhibiting Himself as a mysterious person (a Yakña) to the demigods and proving Himself greater than them by showing that they are powerless in His presence.

4 Those who know Brahman as He has revealed Himself are superior. The greatest demigods are those who knew Him first.

For success in life He should be worshiped, and self-purification is needed for this purpose. One who knows Him will attain real happiness in the spiritual world.

INVOCATION



om apyayanti mamangani vak pranas caksuh srotram atho balam indriyani ca
sarvani /1/



sarvam brahmopanisadam mo `ham brahma nirakuryam ma ma brahma nirakarot
anirakaranam astu anirakaranam me `stu /2/



tad atmani nirate ya upanisatsu dharmas te mayi santu / te mayi santu/

om santih santih santih



CHAPTER ONE



om kenesitam patati presitam manah kena pranah prathamah praiti yuktah/
kenesitam vakam imam vadanti caksuh srotram ka u devo yunakti /1/



srotrasya srotram manaso mano yad vaco ha vacam sa u pranasya pranah caksusas
caksur atimukya dhirah pretyasmal lokat amrta bhavanti /2/



na tatra caksur gacchati na vag gacchati no manah na vidmo na vijanimo
yathaitad anusisyat /3/



anyad eva tad viditad atho aviditad adhi iti susruma purvesam ye nas tad
vyacacaksire /4/



yad vaca nabhyuditam yena vag abhyudyate tad eva brahma tvam viddhi nedam yad
idam upasate /5/



yan manasa na manute yenahur mano matam tad eva brahma tvam viddhi nedam yad
idam upasate /6/



yac caksusa na pasyati yena caksumsi pasyati tad eva brahma tvam viddhi nedam
yad idam upasate /7/



yac cchrotrena na srunoti yena srotram idam srutam tad eva brahma tvam viddhi
nedam yad idam upasate /8/



yat pranena na praniti yena pranah praniyate tad eva brahma tvam viddhi nedam
yad idam upasate /9/



CHAPTER TWO



yadi manyase suvedeti dabhram evapi nunam tvam vettha brahmano rupam/ yadasya
tvam yadasya ca vedesu atha nu mimamsyam eva te manye viditam /1/



naham manye suvedeti no na vedeti veda ca yo nas tad veda tad veda no na
vedeti veda ca /2/



yasyamatam tasya matam matam yasya na veda sah avijnatam vijananatam vijnatam
avijanatam /3/



pratibodha-viditam matam amrtatvam hi vindate atmana vindate viryam vidyaya
vindate amrtam /4/



iha ced avedid atha satyam asti na ced ihavedin mahati vinastih bhutesu
bhutesu vicitya dhirah pretyasmal lokad amrta bhavanti /5/



Thus ends Kena Upanisad.


KENA UPANISHAD

English version by Sanderson Beck

1. Know That to be God 
2. Who Knows It? 
3. What is this Spirit? 
4. This is God

1
By whom directed does the mind project to its objects?
By whom commanded does the first life breath move?
By whom impelled are these words spoken?
What god is behind the eye and ear?

That which is the hearing of the ear,
the thought of the mind, the voice of the speech,
the life of the breath, and the sight of the eye.
Passing beyond, the wise leaving this world become immortal.

There the eye does not go, nor speech, nor the mind.
We do not know, we do not understand how one can teach this.
Different, indeed, is it from the known,
and also it is above the unknown.
Thus have we heard from the ancients who explained it to us.

That which is not expressed by speech,
but that by which speech is expressed:
know that to be God, not what people here adore.

That which is not thought by the mind,
but that by which the mind thinks:
know that to be God, not what people here adore.

That which is not seen by the eye,
but that by which the eye sees:
know that to be God, not what people here adore.

That which is not heard by the ear,
but that by which the ear hears:
know that to be God, not what people here adore.

That which is not breathed by the breath,
but that by which the breath breathes:
know that to be God, not what people here adore.

2
If you think you know it well,
only slightly do you know the form of God.
What refers to you and what refers to the gods
then is to be investigated by you.

I think it is known.
I do not think that I know it well,
nor do I think that I do not know it.
Those of us who know this know it,
and not those of us who think they do not know it.

The one who has not thought it out has the thought of it.
The one who has thought it out does not know it.
It is not understood by those who understand it;
it is understood by those who do not understand it.

When it is known by an awakening, it is correctly known,
for then one finds immortality.
By the soul one finds ability;
by knowledge one finds immortality.

If here one knows it, then there is truth;
if here one does not know it, then there is great loss.
Seeing it in all beings,
the wise on leaving this world become immortal.

3
God won a victory for the gods,
and in this victory the gods were proud,
saying, "Ours is the victory, ours the greatness."
It knew this and appeared before them,
and they did not know what this spirit was.

They said to Agni, "O all-knowing one,
find this out, what this spirit is."

"So be it."
He hurried toward it, and it asked him, "Who are you?"

"I am Agni," he said. "I am the all-knowing one."

"What power is in you?"

"I can burn all things on earth."

It placed a straw before him. "Burn this."
He went at it with all speed, but could not burn it.

Then he returned and said,
"I have not been able to find out what this spirit is."

Then they said to Vayu, "O Vayu,
find this out, what this spirit is."

"So be it."

He hurried toward it, and it asked him, "Who are you?"

"I am Vayu," he said. "I am air expanding in space."

"What power is in you?"

"I can blow away all there is on earth."

It placed a straw before him. "Blow away this."
He went at it with all speed, but could not blow it away.

Then he returned and said,
"I have not been able to find out what this spirit is."

Then they said to Indra, "O giver of wealth,
find this out, what this spirit is."

"So be it."

He hurried toward it. It disappeared from before him.
In the same region of the sky,
he came across a very beautiful woman,
Uma, the daughter of the snowy mountains.
He asked her, "What is this spirit?"

4
She replied, "This is God,
and in the victory of God you glory."
Then he knew it was God.

Therefore these gods, Agni, Vayu, and Indra,
surpassed the other gods, for they came nearest to its touch
and first knew that it was God.
Therefore Indra surpassed the other gods,
for he came nearest to its touch
and first knew that it was God.

Of it there is this teaching:
this is like the lightning which flashes forth
or the blinking of the eye,
this teaching referring to the divine.

Now the teaching referring to the self:
toward this the mind appears to move,
and by it the will remembers constantly.
It is called "that prize."
As that prize it should be revered.
Whoever knows it thus is sought by all beings.

You asked me to explain the mystic doctrine.
The mystic doctrine has been explained to you.
We have told you the mystic doctrine of God.
Discipline, restraint, and work are its foundation.
The Vedas are all its limbs.
Truth is its home.
Whoever knows this, overcoming sin,
is firmly established in infinite heaven---
yes, firmly established.

Copyright 1996 by Sanderson Beck

KENA UPANISAD