Verse 1.1Famous
intermediateकेनेषितं 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?"
What This Means:
A student asks 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? Something deeper than our faculties must be operating them.
Going Deeper:
This opening sets up the entire Upanishad's inquiry. The word "kena" (by whom/what) gives this Upanishad its name. The question points beyond the instruments (mind, senses) to the power that animates them. This is the fundamental inquiry of Vedanta.
How To Apply This:
Next time you're thinking, pause and notice: who or what is aware that thinking is happening? This simple inquiry can reveal that you are not your thoughts, you are the awareness witnessing them.
Key Sanskrit Terms:
Kena= By whom, by whatManas= MindPrāṇa= Life-breath, vital energyDeva= God, shining one, power
#inquiry#consciousness#source-of-power#self-inquiry
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35 verses of the Kena Upanishad
The Great Questions
- 1.1By whom directed does the mind go forth to its object? By whom commanded does the first life-breath move...
- 1.2It is the Ear of the ear, the Mind of the mind, the Speech of speech, the Life of life, the Eye of the...
- 1.3The eye does not go there, nor speech, nor the mind. We do not know It, we do not understand how one can...
- 1.4It is different from the known and also beyond the unknown. Thus we have heard from the ancients who...
- 1.5That which is not expressed by speech, but by which speech is expressed, know That alone to be Brahman...
- 1.6That which cannot be thought by the mind, but by which, they say, the mind thinks, know That alone to be...
- 1.7That which cannot be seen by the eye, but by which the eyes see, know That alone to be Brahman, not what...
- 1.8That which cannot be heard by the ear, but by which the ear hears, know That alone to be Brahman, not what...
- 1.9That which cannot be enlivened by the breath, but by which breath is enlivened, know That alone to be...
The Paradox of Knowing
- 2.1If you think "I know It well," then surely you know but little, only the form of Brahman as it appears in...
- 2.2I do not think "I know It well," nor do I think "I do not know It." Among us, he who knows It, knows It...
- 2.3To whom It is unknown, to him It is known; to whom It is known, he does not know. It is unknown to those...
- 2.4It is known through every state of awakening; thus one attains immortality. Through the Self one gains...
- 2.5If one knows It here, then there is truth; if one does not know It here, great is the loss. The wise...
The Story of the Gods and Brahman
- 3.1Brahman once won a victory for the gods. In that victory of Brahman, the gods became exalted.
- 3.2They thought: "This victory is ours alone! This glory is ours alone!"
- 3.3Brahman perceived their pride. It appeared before them as a mysterious Yaksha (spirit), but they did not...
- 3.4They said to Agni (Fire): "Jatavedas (O All-knowing One), find out what this spirit is." He said: "So be it."
- 3.5He ran to It. It asked him: "Who are you?" He replied: "I am Agni. I am Jatavedas, the all-knower."
- 3.6"What power do you have?" the Yaksha asked. "I can burn everything on earth," Agni replied.
- 3.7The Yaksha placed a straw before him: "Burn this." Agni rushed at it with all his might but could not burn...
- 3.8Then they said to Vayu (Wind): "O Vayu, find out what this spirit is." He said: "So be it."
- 3.9He ran to It. It asked: "Who are you?" He replied: "I am Vayu. I am Matarishvan (he who moves in space...
- 3.10"What power do you have?" "I could blow away everything on earth," Vayu replied.
- 3.11The Yaksha placed a straw before him: "Blow this away." Vayu rushed at it with all his might but could not...
- 3.12Then they said to Indra: "O Maghavan (Bountiful Lord), find out what this spirit is." He said: "So be it...
Uma Reveals the Truth
- 4.1In that very space he came upon a woman of great beauty, Uma, daughter of the Himalayas. He asked her...
- 4.2She said: "It was Brahman. It was through the victory of Brahman that you became great." From her words...
- 4.3Therefore these gods, Agni, Vayu, and Indra, surpass the other gods, for they touched It nearest; they...
- 4.4Therefore Indra surpasses the other gods most of all, for he touched It nearest; he first came to know It...
- 4.5This is the teaching about It: It is like a lightning flash, it appears for a moment and makes you blink...
- 4.6Now with reference to the self: It is that toward which the mind seems to move, and by which the mind...
- 4.7Brahman is called "Tadvana", "the adorable" or "that toward which all things yearn." It should be...
- 4.8"Sir, teach me the Upanishad (the secret doctrine)!" "The Upanishad has been told to you. We have indeed...
- 4.9Its foundation is austerity, self-control, and action. The Vedas are all its limbs. Truth is its abode.