KENA-UPANISHAD
FIRST KHANDA
1. The Pupil
asks: 'At whose wish does the mind sent forth proceed on its errand? At whose
command does the first breath go forth? At whose wish do we utter this speech?
What god directs the eye, or the ear?'
2. The Teacher
replies: '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. When freed (from the senses) the
wise, on departing from this world, become immortal.
3. 'The eye does
not go thither, nor speech, nor mind. We do not know, we do not understand, how
any one can teach it.
4. 'It is
different from the known, it is also above the unknown, thus we have heard from
those of old, who taught us this.
5. 'That which is
not expressed by speech and by which speech is expressed, that alone know as
Brahman, not that which people here adore.
6. 'That which
does not think by mind, and by which, they say, mind is thought, that alone know
as Brahman, not that which people here adore.
7. 'That which
does not see by the eye, and by which one sees (the work of) the eyes, that
alone know as Brahman, not that which people here adore.
8. 'That which
does not hear by the ear, and by which the ear is heard, that alone know as
Brahman, not that which people here adore.
9. 'That which
does not breathe by breath, and by which breath is drawn, that alone know as
Brahman, not that which people here adore.'
SECOND KHANDA
1. The Teacher
says: 'If thou thinkest I know it well, then thou knowest surely but little,
what is that form of Brahman known, it may be, to thee?'
2. The Pupil
says: 'I do not think I know it well, nor do I know that I do not know it. He
among us who knows this, he knows it, nor does he know that he does not know it.
3. 'He by whom it
(Brahman) is not thought, by him it is thought; he by whom it is thought, knows
it not. It is not understood by those who understand it, it is understood by
those who do not understand it.
4. 'It is thought
to be known (as if) by awakening, and (then) we obtain immortality indeed. By
the Self we obtain strength, by knowledge we obtain immortality.
5. 'If a man know
this here, that is the true (end of life); if he does not know this here, then
there is great destruction (new births). The wise who have thought on all things
(and recognized the Self in them) become immortal, when they have departed from
this world.'
THIRD KHANDA
1. Brahman
obtained the victory for the Devas. The Devas became elated by the victory of
Brahman, and they thought, this victory is ours only, this greatness is ours
only.
2. Brahman
perceived this and appeared to them. But they did not know it, and said: 'What
sprite (yaksha or yakshya) is this ?'
3. They said to
Agni (fire): 'O Gatavedas, find out what sprite this is.' 'Yes,' he said.
4. He ran toward
it, and Brahman said to him: 'Who are you?' He replied: 'I am Agni, I am
Gatavedas.'
5. Brahman said:
'What power is in you?' Agni replied: 'I could burn all whatever there is on
earth.'
6. Brahman put a
straw before him, saying: 'Burn this.' He went towards it with all his might,
but he could not burn it. Then he returned thence and said: 'I could not find
out what sprite this is.' 7. Then they said to Vayu (air): 'O Vayu, find out
what sprite this is.' 'Yes,'he said.
8. He ran toward
it, and Brahman said to him: 'Who are you?' He replied: 'I am V'ayu, I am
Matarisvan.'
9. Brahman said:
'What power is in you?' Vayu replied: 'I could take up all whatever there is on
earth.'
10. Brahman put a
straw before him, saying: 'Take it up.' He went towards it with all his might,
but he could not take it up. Then he returned thence and said: 'I could not find
out what sprite this is.'
11. Then they
said to Indra: 'O Maghavan, find out what sprite this is.' He went towards it,
but it disappeared from before him.
12. Then in the
same space (ether) he came towards a woman, highly adorned: it was Uma, the
daughter of Himavat. He said to her: 'Who is that sprite?'
FOURTH KHANDA.
1. She replied:
'It is Brahman. It is through the victory of Brahman that you have thus become
great.' After that he knew that it was Brahman.
2. Therefore
these Devas, viz. Agni, Vayu, and Indra, are, as it were, above the other gods,
for they touched it (the Brahman) nearest.
3. And therefore
Indra is, as it were, above the other gods, for he touched it nearest, he first
knew it.
4. This is the
teaching of Brahman, with regard to the gods (mythological): It is that which
now flashes forth in the lightning, and now vanishes again.
5. And this is
the teaching of Brahman, with regard to the body (psychological): It is that
which seems to move as mind, and by it imagination remembers again and again.
6. That Brahman
is called Tadvana, by the name of Tadvana it is to be meditated on. All beings
have a desire for him who knows this.
7. The Teacher:
'As you have asked me to tell you the Upanishad, the Upanishad has now been told
you. We have told you the Brahmi Upanishad.
8. 'The feet on
which that Upanishad stands are penance, restraint, sacrifice; the Vedas are all
its limbs, the True is its abode.
9. 'He who knows
this Upanishad, and has shaken off all evil, stands in the endless,
unconquerable world of heaven, yea, in the world of heaven.'
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