Kena Upaniṣad

Subhash Kak

Chapman University
2023
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Foreword

Think of the most puzzling questions of personhood and life: Who controls
the mind and speech, and directs the eyes and the ears? And how do we know
that we know, or if others know?
These questions are posed most directly in the Kena Upaniṣad, one of
the major Upaniṣads that is in the last section of the Talavakāra Brāhmaṇa of
the Sāmaveda. It explains that the Ātman (Brahman) is the light of the mind,
the seer behind the eyes, the hearer behind the ears, and the witness that tells
us if things are in accordance with the truth.
There is a tension between the mind as an instrument in the brain and
the light that illuminates it, which is consciousness. One’s experience is a
dance between these polarities and unless one knows how to move between
them, one can lean too heavily on one side or the other and get a meaning that
is not quite true.
An excellent example of this is in the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad, where it is
taught that one must embrace both avidyā and vidyā, i.e., the outer and the
inner, the seen and the seer.
The Upaniṣads teach through enigma and paradox. Look at these
mysterious statements in the Kena Upaniṣad:

I do not think I know it well, nor do I think I do not know it. He among us
knows it truly who knows this: that neither do I know, nor I know it not.

It is known by those who know it cannot be known; they know it not if they
think they know it.

These statements prod us to get away from our zone of comfort and
ask as to who this “I” is. It is shown that there indeed is a perfectly rational
explanation for such riddles, meditation on which takes us to the very nature

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of our mind and ways of knowing.

The Kena Upaniṣad also instructs on the layers of the mind and how
they are a mapping of the elements (bhūtas) that constitute reality. In doing
so, it explains the mystery of Agni, Vāyu, and Indra who preside over these
layers, which makes the contents of these wisdom books more accessible.
They open the door on the triplicate nature of reality as seen through body,
breath, and consciousness that mirrors the outer triad of earth, atmosphere,
and the sun.

Stillwater
June 6, 2023

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Invocation

॥ अथ केनोपननषत् ॥
ॐ आप्यायन्तु ममाङ्गानन वाक्प्राणश्चक्ुुः
श्रोत्रमथो बलनमन्द्रियानण च सवाा नण ।
सवं ब्रह्मौपननषदं
माऽहं ब्रह्म ननराकुयां मा मा ब्रह्म
ननराकरोदननराकरणमस्त्वननराकरणं मेऽस्तु ।
तदात्मनन ननरते य
उपननषत्सु धमाा स्ते मनय सन्तु ते मनय सन्तु ।
ॐ शान्द्रन्तुः शान्द्रन्तुः शान्द्रन्तुः ॥

|| atha kenopaniṣat ||

oṃ āpyāyantu mamāṅgāni vākprāṇaścakṣuḥ

śrotramatho balamindriyāṇi ca sarvāṇi .
sarvaṃ brahmaupaniṣadaṃ
mā’haṃ brahma nirākuryāṃ mā mā brahma
nirākarodanirākaraṇamastvanirākaraṇaṃ me’stu .
tadātmani nirate ya
upaniṣatsu dharmāste mayi santu te mayi santu .
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

Om. May my limbs, speech, breath, eyes, ears, strength, and all the senses
thrive. All taught by the Upaniṣads is Brahman. May I never deny Brahman,
may Brahman never abandon me, and let there be no turning away. Let there
be no faithlessness from my side, may all the dharmas commended by the
Upaniṣads shine in me. May they shine in me. Om! Peace! Peace! Peace!

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1.1

ॐ केनेनषतं पतनत प्रेनषतं मनुः

केन प्राणुः प्रथमुः प्रैनत युक्तुः ।
केनेनषतां वाचनममां वदन्द्रन्त
चक्ुुः श्रोत्रं क उ दे वो युनन्द्रक्त ॥ १॥

oṃ keneṣitaṃ patati preṣitaṃ manaḥ

kena prāṇaḥ prathamaḥ praiti yuktaḥ .
keneṣitāṃ vācamimāṃ vadanti
cakṣuḥ śrotraṃ ka u devo yunakti ||1.1||

1.1 Om. Directed by whose wish does the mind proceed to its object? At
whose command does the foremost prāṇa do its duty? At whose wish do we
utter speech? Who is the god that directs the eyes and the ears?

1.2

श्रोत्रस्य श्रोत्रं मनसो मनो यद्

वाचो ह वाचं स उ प्राणस्य प्राणुः ।
चक्ुषश्चक्ुरनतमुच्य धीराुः
प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवन्द्रन्त ॥ २॥

śrotrasya śrotraṃ manaso mano yad

vāco ha vācaṃ sa u prāṇasya prāṇaḥ .
cakṣuṣaścakṣuratimucya dhīrāḥ
pretyāsmāllokādamṛtā bhavanti ||1.2||

1.2 It is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the speech of speech, the
breath of breath, and the eye of the eye. Thus freed [by this knowledge], the
steady ones, having gone from this world become immortal.

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1.3

न तत्र चक्ुर्ाच्छनत न वाग्गच्छनत नो मनुः ।

न नवद्मो न नवजानीमो यथैतदनुनशष्यात् ॥ ३a॥

अन्यदे व तनिनदतादथो अनवनदतादनध ।

इनत शुश्रुम पूवेषां ये नस्तद्व्याचचनक्रे ॥ ३b ॥

na tatra cakṣurgacchati na vāggacchati no manaḥ .

na vidmo na vijānīmo yathaitadanuśiṣyāt ||1.3a||

anyadeva tadviditādatho aviditādadhi .

iti śuśruma pūrveṣāṃ ye nastadvyācacakṣire ||1.3b||

1.3 The eye does not go there, nor speech, nor the mind. We do not know, we
do not understand, how may one teach it?

It is different from the known; likewise, it is above the unknown. Thus we

heard from the ancients [seers] who taught us.

Note: The senses don’t reach for that place is transcendent.

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1.4

यिाचाऽनभ्युनदतं येन वार्भ्युद्यते ।

तदे व ब्रह्म त्वं नवन्द्रि नेदं यनददमुपासते ॥ ४॥

yadvācā’nabhyuditaṃ yena vāgabhyudyate .

tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate ||1.4||

1.4 That which cannot be expressed by speech, but by which speech is

expressed, know that alone as Brahman and not this that people here worship.

1.5

यन्मनसा न मनुते येनाहुमानो मतम् ।

तदे व ब्रह्म त्वं नवन्द्रि नेदं यनददमुपासते ॥ ५॥

yanmanasā na manute yenāhurmano matam .

tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate ||1.5||

1.5 That which cannot be conceived by the mind, but by which, they say, the
mind is conceived, know that alone as Brahman and not this that people here
worship.

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1.6

यच्चक्ुषा न पश्यनत येन चक्ूूँनष पश्यनत ।

तदे व ब्रह्म त्वं नवन्द्रि नेदं यनददमुपासते ॥ ६॥

yaccakṣuṣā na paśyati yena cakṣūm̐ṣi paśyati .

tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate ||1.6||

1.6 That which cannot be seen by the eye, but by which the eye is seen, know
that alone as Brahman and not this that people here worship.

1.7

यच्छरोत्रेण न शृणोनत येन श्रोत्रनमदं श्रुतम् ।

तदे व ब्रह्म त्वं नवन्द्रि नेदं यनददमुपासते ॥ ७॥

yacchrotreṇa na śṛṇoti yena śrotramidaṃ śrutam .

tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate ||1.7||

1.7 That which is not heard by the ear, but by which the hearing is perceived,
know that alone as Brahman and not this that people here worship.

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1.8

यत्प्राणेन न प्रानणनत येन प्राणुः प्रणीयते ।

तदे व ब्रह्म त्वं नवन्द्रि नेदं यनददमुपासते ॥ ८॥

॥ इनत केनोपननषनद प्रथमुः खण्डुः ॥

yatprāṇena na prāṇiti yena prāṇaḥ praṇīyate .

tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate ||1.8||

iti kenopaniṣadi prathamaḥ khaṇḍaḥ

1.8 That which cannot be breathed by the breath, but by which the breath is
led, know that alone as Brahman and not this that people here worship.

This completes the first part of the Kena Upaniṣad.

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2.1

यनद मन्यसे सुवेदेनत दहरमेवानप

नूनं त्वं वेत्थ ब्रह्मणो रूपम् ।
यदस्य त्वं यदस्य दे वेष्वथ नु
मीमाूँ स्यमेव ते मन्ये नवनदतम् ॥ १॥

yadi manyase suvedeti daharamevāpi

nūnaṃ tvaṃ vettha brahmaṇo rūpam.
yadasya tvaṃ yadasya deveṣvatha nu
mīmām̐syameva te manye viditam ||2.1||

2.1 If you think you know Brahman well, then surely you know but little of
its appearance; you know only what is in you, or in the deities. By inquiry,
they are known in the mind.

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2.2

नाहं मन्ये सुवेदेनत नो न वेदेनत वेद च ।

यो नस्तिे द तिे द नो न वेदेनत वेद च ॥ २॥

nāhaṃ manye suvedeti no na vedeti veda ca .

yo nastadveda tadveda no na vedeti veda ca ||2.2||

2.2 I do not think I know it well, nor do I think I do not know it. He among
us knows it truly who knows this: that neither do I know, nor I know it not.

2.3

यस्यामतं तस्य मतं मतं यस्य न वेद सुः ।

अनवज्ञातं नवजानतां नवज्ञातमनवजानताम् ॥ ३॥

yasyāmataṃ tasya mataṃ mataṃ yasya na veda saḥ .

avijñātaṃ vijānatāṃ vijñātamavijānatām ||2.3||

2.3 It is known by those who know it cannot be known; they know it not if
they think they know it. It is not known to those who know and known to those
who do not know.

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2.4

प्रनतबोधनवनदतं मतममृतत्वं नह नवन्दते ।

आत्मना नवन्दते वीयं नवद्यया नवन्दतेऽमृतम् ॥ ४॥

pratibodhaviditaṃ matamamṛtatvaṃ hi vindate .

ātmanā vindate vīryaṃ vidyayā vindate’mṛtam ||2.4||

2.4 It is really known when experienced in all states of the mind; by such
knowledge one attains immortality. By the Ātman one obtains strength; by
vidyā (knowledge), immortality.

Note: This mirrors Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 11 and 14 with avidyā replaced by

strength, an attribute of the body (whose ultimate origin is the Ātman).

2.5

इह चेदवेदीदथ सत्यमन्द्रस्त
न चेनदहावेदीन्महती नवननटुः ।
भूतेषु भूतेषु नवनचत्य धीराुः
प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवन्द्रन्त ॥ ५॥

॥ इनत केनोपननषनद नितीयुः खण्डुः ॥

iha cedavedīdatha satyamasti

na cedihāvedīnmahatī vinaṣṭiḥ .
bhūteṣu bhūteṣu vicitya dhīrāḥ
pretyāsmāllokādamṛtā bhavanti ||2.5||

iti kenopaniṣadi dvitīyaḥ khaṇḍaḥ

2.5 If a man knows it here, then there is truth; if he does not know this here,
there is great destruction. Having realized (the Ātman) in every being, the wise
upon leaving the world become immortal.

This completes the second part of the Kena Upaniṣad.

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3.1

ब्रह्म ह दे वेभ्यो नवनजग्ये तस्य ह ब्रह्मणो नवजये दे वा अमहीयन्त

त ऐक्न्तास्माकमेवायं नवजयोऽस्माकमेवायं मनहमेनत । ॥ १॥

brahma ha devebhyo vijigye tasya ha brahmaṇo vijaye devā amahīyanta

ta aikṣantāsmākamevāyaṃ vijayo’smākamevāyaṃ mahimeti ||3.1||

3.1 Once Brahman, they say, obtained a victory for the gods (senses); and by
that victory of Brahman the gods became elated. They thought: “Truly, this
victory is ours; truly, this glory is ours only.”

3.2

तिै षां नवजज्ञौ तेभ्यो ह प्रादु बाभूव

तन्न व्यजानत नकनमदं यक्नमनत ॥ २॥

taddhaiṣāṃ vijajñau tebhyo ha prādurbabhūva

tanna vyajānata kimidaṃ yakṣamiti ||3.2||

3.2 He (Brahman) understood that [false pride] and appeared before them. But
they did not know who that Yakṣa (being) was.

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3.3

तेऽनिमब्रुवञ्जातवेद एतनिजानीनह
नकनमदं यक्नमनत तथेनत ॥ ३॥

te’gnimabruvañjātaveda etadvijānīhi
kimidaṃ yakṣamiti tatheti ||3.3||

3.3 They addressed Agni: “O Jātaveda, please find out who this Yakṣa is.”
“Yes,” said Agni.

3.4

तदभ्यद्रवत्तमभ्यवदत्कोऽसीत्यनिवाा
अहमस्मीत्यब्रवीज्जातवेदा वा अहमस्मीनत ॥ ४॥

tadabhyadravattamabhyavadatko’sītyagnirvā
ahamasmītyabravījjātavedā vā ahamasmīti ||3.4||

3.4 He [Agni] ran (to the Yakṣa), who asked him: “Who are you?”
[Agni]: “I am the famous Agni, I am Jātaveda.”

Note: Jātaveda: knower of all things; epithet of Agni and of Śiva.

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3.5
तन्द्रस्मूँस्त्वनय नकं वीयानमत्यपीदूँ सवं
दहे यं यनददं पृनथव्यानमनत ॥ ५॥

tasmigͫstvayi kiṃ vīryamityapīdagͫ sarvaṃ

daheyaṃ yadidaṃ pṛthivyāmiti ||3.5||

3.5 “What power is in you of such fame?” (asked the Yakṣa). “I can burn
everything, whatever is on earth,” (replied Agni).

3.6

तस्मै तृणं ननदधावेतद्दहे नत ।

तदु पप्रेयाय सवाजवेन तन्न शशाक दग्ुं स तत एव
ननववृते नैतदशकं नवज्ञातुं यदे तद्यक्नमनत ॥ ६॥

tasmai tṛṇaṃ nidadhāvetaddaheti .

tadupapreyāya sarvajavena tanna śaśāka dagdhuṃ sa tata eva
nivavṛte naitadaśakaṃ vijñātuṃ yadetadyakṣamiti .||3.6|

3.6 The Yakṣa placed a straw before him, (saying): “Burn this!” (Agni)
approached it with all might but was unable to burn it. He then returned (to
the gods), saying, “I was unable to know who the Yakṣa is.”

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3.7

अथ वायुमब्रुवन्वायवेतनिजानीनह
नकमेतद्यक्नमनत तथेनत ॥ ७॥
atha vāyumabruvanvāyavetadvijānīhi
kimetadyakṣamiti tatheti ||3.7||

3.7 Then they [the gods] addressed Vāyu: “O Vāyu, please find out who this
Yakṣa is.” “Yes”, said Vāyu.

3.8

तदभ्यद्रवत्तमभ्यवदत्कोऽसीनत वायुवाा
अहमस्मीत्यब्रवीन्मातररश्वा वा अहमस्मीनत ॥ ८॥
tadabhyadravattamabhyavadatko’sīti vāyurvā
ahamasmītyabravīnmātariśvā vā ahamasmīti ||3.8||

3.8 (Vāyu) ran towards it (Yakṣa), and was asked: “Who are you?” Vāyu replied:
“I am the famous Vāyu; I am Mātariśvā (courser of the atmosphere)”.

3.9

तन्द्रस्मूँस्त्वनय नकं वीयानमत्यपीदूँ

सवामाददीय यनददं पृनथव्यानमनत ॥ ९॥

tasmim̐stvayi kiṃ vīryamityapīdam̐

sarvamādadīya yadidaṃ pṛthivyāmiti ||3.9||

3.9 “What power is in you of such fame?” (asked the Yakṣa). “I can take up all,
whatever is on earth,” replied Vāyu.

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3.10

तस्मै तृणं ननदधावेतदादत्स्वेनत

तदु पप्रेयाय सवाजवेन तन्न शशाकादातुं स तत एव
ननववृते नैतदशकं नवज्ञातुं यदे तद्यक्नमनत ॥ १०॥

tasmai tṛṇaṃ nidadhāvetadādatsveti

tadupapreyāya sarvajavena tanna śaśākādātuṃ sa tata eva
nivavṛte naitadaśakaṃ vijñātuṃ yadetadyakṣamiti ||3.10||

3.10 The Yakṣa placed a straw before him [Vāyu], (saying): “Take it up!” He
approached it with all might but was unable to take it up. He then returned (to
the gods), saying, “I was unable to know who the Yakṣa is.”

3.11

अथेिमब्रुवन्मघवन्नेतनिजानीनह नकमेतद्यक्नमनत तथेनत

तदभ्यद्रवत्तस्मानत्तरोदधे ॥ ११॥

athendramabruvanmaghavannetadvijānīhi kimetadyakṣamiti tatheti

tadabhyadravattasmāttirodadhe ||3.11||

3.11 Then the gods addressed Indra: “O Maghavan, find out who this Yakṣa
is.” “Yes,” said Indra, and ran to the Yakṣa, but the Yakṣa disappeared from
the view.

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3.12

स तन्द्रस्मन्नेवाकाशे न्द्रियमाजर्ाम बहुशोभमानामुमाूँ

है मवतीं ताूँ होवाच नकमेतद्यक्नमनत ॥ १२॥

॥ इनत केनोपननषनद तृतीयुः खण्डुः ॥

sa tasminnevākāśe striyamājagāma bahuśobhamānāmumām̐

haimavatīṃ tām̐hovāca kimetadyakṣamiti ||3.12||

iti kenopaniṣadi tṛtīyaḥ khaṇḍaḥ

3.12 And in that very sky he (Indra) beheld a woman, the wondrously
beautiful Umā, daughter of the snow clad mountain, Himavat. And of her he
asked, “Who could this Yakṣa be?”

This completes the third part of the Kena Upaniṣad.

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4.1

सा ब्रह्मेनत होवाच ब्रह्मणो वा एतनिजये महीयध्वनमनत

ततो है व नवदाञ्चकार ब्रह्मेनत ॥ १॥

sā brahmeti hovāca brahmaṇo vā etadvijaye mahīyadhvamiti

tato haiva vidāñcakāra brahmeti ||4.1||

4.1 “It was Brahman,” said she. “It is through the victory of Brahman, indeed,
that you have attained this glory.” From that (the words of Umā) that he
(Indra) understood that it [the Yakṣa] was Brahman.

Note: The Goddess opens the door to knowledge, for the Goddess represents
embodied reality, which is ultimately our only instrument.

4.2

तस्मािा एते दे वा अनततरानमवान्यान्दे वान्यदनिवाा युररिस्ते

ह्येनन्नेनदष्ठं पस्पशुास्ते ह्येनत्प्रथमो नवदाञ्चकार ब्रह्मेनत ॥ २॥

tasmādvā ete devā atitarāmivānyāndevānyadagnirvāyurindraste

hyenannediṣṭhaṃ pasparśuste hyenatprathamo vidāñcakāra brahmeti ||4.2||

4.2 So these gods [Agni, Vāyu and Indra] excel the other gods; for they
approached the Yakṣa nearest; they were the first to know that it was Brahman.

Note: Agni, Vāyu and Indra preside over the three layers of the mind: manas,
buddhi, and ahaṅkāra, which correspond to the three higher kośas.

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4.3
तस्मािा इिोऽनततरानमवान्यान्दे वान्स
ह्येनन्नेनदष्ठं पस्पशा स ह्येनत्प्रथमो नवदाञ्चकार ब्रह्मेनत ॥ ३॥

tasmādvā indro’titarāmivānyāndevānsa
hyenannediṣṭhaṃ pasparśa sa hyenatprathamo vidāñcakāra brahmeti ||4.3||

4.3 And so Indra excelled the other gods; for he approached Brahman nearest,
and was first to know it.

Note: The Ātman suffuses all the elements, but it is closest to the
Ānandamaya kośa, where the ego, the principal sense, resides.

4.4

तस्यैष आदे शो यदे तनिद् युतो व्यद् युतदा३

इतीन् न्यमीनमषदा३ इत्यनधदै वतम् ॥ ४॥

tasyaiṣa ādeśo yadetadvidyuto vyadyutadā

itīn nyamīmiṣadā3 ityadhidaivatam ||4.4||

4.4 This is the teaching regarding That (Brahman): It is like a flash of

lightning; it is like a wink of the eye; this is with reference to the ādhidaivika.

Note: The ādhidaivika is our conception of reality in terms of the loci of

freedom, represented as deities.

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4.5

अथाध्यात्मं यद्दे तद्गच्छतीव च मनोऽनेन

चैतदु पस्मरत्यभीक्ष्णूँ सङ्कल्पुः ॥ ५॥

athādhyātmaṃ yaddetadgacchatīva ca mano’nena

caitadupasmaratyabhīkṣṇam̐ saṅkalpaḥ ||4.5||

4.5 Now its description with reference to the Ātman; the mind goes to it, as
it were; and this [Ātman] should be desired and remembered as being [very]
near.

4.6

ति तिनं नाम तिननमत्युपानसतव्यं स य एतदे वं वेदानभ

है नूँ सवाा नण भूतानन संवाञ्छन्द्रन्त ॥ ६॥

taddha tadvanaṃ nāma tadvanamityupāsitavyaṃ sa ya etadevaṃ vedābhi

hainagͫ sarvāṇi bhūtāni saṃvāñchanti ||4.6||

4.6 That [Brahman] is called Tadvana, “the Adorable of all”. It should be

meditated upon in the name of Tadvana. All beings, who know it thus, love
him.

Note: This is the view of the Ātman as personal deity, a personal friend.

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4.7

उपननषदं भो ब्रूहीत्युक्ता त उपननषद्ब्राह्मीं वाव त

उपननषदमब्रूमेनत ॥ ७॥

upaniṣadaṃ bho brūhītyuktā ta upaniṣadbrāhmīṃ vāva ta

upaniṣadamabrūmeti ||4.7||

4.7 “Sir teach me the Upaniṣad.” “The Upanishad has been told to you; we have
certainly told you the Upaniṣad about Brahman.”

4.8

तसै तपो दमुः कमेनत प्रनतष्ठा वेदाुः सवाा ङ्गानन

सत्यमायतनम् ॥ ८॥

tasai tapo damaḥ karmeti pratiṣṭhā vedāḥ sarvāṅgāni

satyamāyatanam ||4.8||

4.8 Tapas (concentration of the energies of the mind and the senses), damaḥ
(self-control), and karma (self-less work) are its foundation, the Vedas
(knowledge) are its limbs, and Truth is its abode.

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4.9

यो वा एतामेवं वेदापहत्य पाप्मानमनन्ते स्वर्े

लोके ज्येये प्रनतनतष्ठनत प्रनतनतष्ठनत ॥ ९॥

॥ इनत केनोपननषनद चतुथाुः खण्डुः ॥

yo vā etāmevaṃ vedāpahatya pāpmānamanante svarge

loke jyeye pratitiṣṭhati pratitiṣṭhati ||4.9||

iti kenopaniṣadi caturthaḥ khaṇḍaḥ

4.9 He who knows it (knowledge of Brahman) thus, destroys evil and truly
attains the infinite, the blissful and the highest.

This completes the fourth part of the Kena Upaniṣad.

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