Kena Upanishad
35 verses, who is the power behind the powers?
The Kena Upanishad: By Whom?
"By whom (kena) is the mind directed?", with this question, the Kena Upanishad begins its inquiry into the ultimate power behind all our faculties. From the Sama Veda, this Upanishad explores what powers our senses and mind, revealing that Brahman is the power behind all powers, unknowable through ordinary means.
The Kena also contains a beautiful story of how the gods learned humility when confronted with the mysterious power of Brahman, taught by the goddess Uma.
Key Verses
Verse 1.1, The Opening Question
केनेषितं पतति प्रेषितं मनः
केन प्राणः प्रथमः प्रैति युक्तः।
केनेषितां वाचमिमां वदन्ति
चक्षुः श्रोत्रं क उ देवो युनक्ति।।
keneṣitaṁ patati preṣitaṁ manaḥ kena prāṇaḥ prathamaḥ praiti yuktaḥ keneṣitāṁ vācam imāṁ vadanti cakṣuḥ śrotraṁ ka u devo yunakti
"By whom directed does the mind go forth to its object? By whom commanded does the first life-breath move? By whom impelled do people utter speech? What god directs the eyes and ears?"
The deepest possible question: What is the power behind our powers? Our mind thinks, but what makes it think? Our eyes see, but what enables sight?
Verse 1.2, The Teacher's Answer
श्रोत्रस्य श्रोत्रं मनसो मनो यद्
वाचो ह वाचं स उ प्राणस्य प्राणः।
चक्षुषश्चक्षुरतिमुच्य धीराः
प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवन्ति।।
śrotrasya śrotraṁ manaso mano yad vāco ha vācaṁ sa u prāṇasya prāṇaḥ cakṣuṣaś cakṣur atimucya dhīrāḥ pretyāsmāl lokād amṛtā bhavanti
"It is the Ear of the ear, the Mind of the mind, the Speech of speech, the Life of life, the Eye of the eye. The wise, freeing themselves from identification with these, become immortal."
Brahman is what enables the ear to hear, the mind to think, speech to speak. It's the power behind all our powers. Those who realize this attain immortality.
Verse 1.3, Beyond the Senses
न तत्र चक्षुर्गच्छति न वाग्गच्छति नो मनः।
न विद्मो न विजानीमो यथैतदनुशिष्यात्।।
na tatra cakṣur gacchati na vāg gacchati no manaḥ na vidmo na vijānīmo yathaitad anuśiṣyāt
"The eye does not go there, nor speech, nor the mind. We do not know It, we do not understand how one can teach about It."
Brahman cannot be seen with eyes, described with words, or grasped by the mind. It's not that we lack information, the tools we use for knowing simply don't apply here.
Verse 1.5, That Which Speech Cannot Reveal
यद्वाचानभ्युदितं येन वागभ्युद्यते।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते।।
yad vācā anabhyuditaṁ yena vāg abhyudyate tad eva brahma tvaṁ viddhi nedaṁ yad idam upāsate
"That which is not expressed by speech, but by which speech is expressed, know That alone to be Brahman, not what people worship as this."
Brahman is not something words can describe, but it's what gives words their power. Whatever concept of God you worship, if it can be defined and limited, it's not the ultimate.
Verse 2.4, Known to the Unknowing
यस्यामतं तस्य मतं मतं यस्य न वेद सः।
अविज्ञातं विजानतां विज्ञातमविजानताम्।।
yasyāmataṁ tasya mataṁ mataṁ yasya na veda saḥ avijñātaṁ vijānatāṁ vijñātam avijānatām
"To whom It is unknown, to him It is known. To whom It is known, he knows It not. It is unknown to those who know, and known to those who know not."
A beautiful paradox: those who think they "know" Brahman as an object don't really know. Those who recognize that Brahman cannot be objectified are closer to truth.
Main Themes
- The Power Behind Powers, Brahman is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, that which enables all faculties.
- Beyond All Instruments, Eyes, speech, and mind cannot reach Brahman because it is their very source.
- Different from the Known and Unknown, Brahman transcends both what is known and what is unknown.
- Known Through Not-Knowing, Those who think they've grasped it haven't; those who recognize its mystery are closer.
Reflection Questions
- What is aware that you are thinking right now? Can you make that awareness into an object?
- If Brahman cannot be known through the mind, how can it be "known" at all?
- What is the difference between knowing about something and being that something?
Continue Your Study
Read the complete Kena Upanishad with all 35 verses, including the beautiful story of Uma teaching the gods about Brahman.