Kena Upanishad — the timeless song of Brahman, Ishwar, and Consciousness
By whom commanded and directed does the mind go toward its object? By whom commanded does the vital force Prana, the first, move? By whose will do men utter speech? Which Devata directs the eye and the ear?
That which is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the speech of speech, the life of the life, and the eye of the eye — wise men, having given up the false idea of the self, become immortal after departing from this world. There the eye does not go, nor speech, nor mind. We do not know, we do not understand how one can teach this. It is different from the known; it is also beyond the unknown. Thus, we, the new disciples, have heard from those of old, venerable Acharyas who have explained it to us.
That which speech does not illuminate, but by which speech is illuminated — know that alone to be Brahman, not this which people worship here. That which cannot be thought by the human mind, but by which, they say, the mind is able to think — know that alone to be Brahman, not this which people worship here. That which cannot be seen by the eye, but by which one sees the eye’s seeing — know that alone to be Brahman, not this which people worship here. That which cannot be heard by the ear, but by which the ear hears — know that alone to be Brahman, not this which people worship here. That which does not breathe by the breath, but by which breath is moved — know that alone to be Brahman, not this which people worship here.
If you think, “I know Brahman well,” you know but little indeed — of that form of Brahman which is among the Devatas or among men. Therefore, I think what you have to learn about Brahman is indeed still to be investigated. I do not think, “I know Brahman well.” Nor do I think, “I do not know Brahman.” He who among us knows that — he knows it; he does not know, and yet he knows. 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 intellectually, and known to those who do not know intuitively.
Brahman is realized in every state of consciousness; through such knowledge, one attains immortality. Through the Self one gains strength; through knowledge one attains immortality. If here, in the mortal world, one knows it, then there is truth; if here one does not know it, there is great destruction. Seeing and meditating on it in all beings, the wise, on departing from this world, become immortal.
Brahman indeed won victory for the Devatas. The Devatas glorified themselves in that victory of Brahman, saying, “Ours is this victory, ours this greatness.” Brahman perceived this. It appeared before them. They did not recognize what that great Being — the Yaksha, Ishwara, in physical form — was. They said to Agni, Fire itself: “O Jātaveda, find out what this great Being is.” “So be it,” said Agni.
He ran toward the Yaksha, and It asked him, “Who are you?” He replied, “I am Agni, I am Jātaveda.” It said, “What power is in you?” Agni replied, “I can burn all that is on earth.” Yaksha placed a straw before him and said, “Burn this.” Agni rushed at it with all his speed, but could not burn it. He returned and said, “I could not know what this Great Being is.”
Then they said to Vāyu, the Wind: “O Vāyu, find out what this Great Being is.” “So be it,” said Vāyu. He ran toward It, and Yaksha asked him, “Who are you?” He replied, “I am Vāyu, I am Mātariśvan.” Yaksha said, “What power is in you?” Vāyu replied, “I can carry away all that is on earth.” Yaksha placed a straw before him and said, “Take this up.” Vāyu rushed at it with all his speed but could not lift it. He returned and said, “I could not know what this Great Being (Yaksha) is.”
Then they said to Indra: “O Maghavan, find out what this Great Being is.” “So be it,” said Indra. He approached It — but Yaksha disappeared from before him. In that very space, he saw a woman, radiant and adorned — Umā, the Haimavati. He said to her, “What was that Great Being, that Yaksha in physical form?”
Huma said, “That was Brahman — Ishwar of the Isha Upanishad. In the victory of Brahman, you rejoiced.” Then Indra knew that the Yaksha was Brahman. Therefore, these Divinities — Agni, Vāyu, and Indra — excel all other Devatas, for they came nearest to the Yaksha and first knew that It was Brahman. Therefore, Indra excels all other Divinities, for he came nearest and first knew It as Brahman.
Of that Brahman, this is the teaching — as it flashes like lightning, as it blinks the eye — that is Its manifestation in the divine sphere. And in the individual sphere — as the mind seems to move, as by It, Brahman, one remembers again and again — that is Its manifestation. Therefore, It is to be adored as Tadvana, the Adorable One. Whoever knows the Ishwara as such — all beings desire him.
“Teach us this Upanishad,” said the Devatas. And Huma (Hiranyagarva Haimavati Uma) taught them the Upanishad — Brahman indeed is the Upanishad. Its foundation is austerity, self-control, and action; the Vedas are all Brahman’s limbs; truth is Brahman’s abode. He who knows this thus, removing all sin, becomes firmly established in the infinite, supreme heaven, the Arham, the illuminated inner sky.
Tanmoy Bhattacharyya
17th October 2025
केनोपनिषत्
केनेषितं पतति प्रेषितं मनः केन प्राणः प्रथमः प्रैति युक्तः । केनेषितां वाचमिमां वदन्ति चक्षुःश्रोत्रं क उ देवो युनक्ति ॥ १ ॥
श्रोत्रस्य श्रोत्रं मनसो मनो यद्वाचो ह वाचं स उ प्राणस्य प्राणः । चक्षुषश्चक्षुरतिमुच्य धीराः प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवन्ति ॥ २ ॥
न तत्र चक्षुर्गच्छति न वाग्गच्छति नो मनः । न विद्मो न विजानीमो यथैतदनुशिष्यात् ॥ ३ ॥Kena Upanishad: The truth as taught by Adorable Huma
अन्यदेव तद्विदितादथो अविदितादधि । इति शुश्रुम पूर्वेषां ये नस्तद्व्याचचक्षिरे ॥ ४ ॥
यद्वाचानभ्युदितं येन वागभ्युद्यते । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ५ ॥
यन्मनसा न मनुते येनाहुर्मनो मतम् । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ६ ॥
यच्चक्षुषा न पश्यति येन चक्षूंषि पश्यति । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ७ ॥
यच्छ्रोत्रेण न शृणोति येन श्रोत्रमिदं श्रुतम् । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ८ ॥
यत्प्राणेन न प्राणिति येन प्राणः प्रणीयते । तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ९ ॥
यदि मन्यसे सु वेदेति दभ्रमेवापि नूनं त्वं वेत्थ ब्रह्मणो रूपं यदस्य त्वं यदस्य देवेष्वथ नु मीमांस्यमेव ते मन्ये विदितम् ॥ १ ॥
नाह मन्ये सु वेदेति नो न वेदेति वेद च । यो नस्तद्वेद तद्वेद नो न वेदेति वेद च ॥ २ ॥
यस्यामतं तस्य मतं मतं यस्य न वेद सः । अविज्ञातं विजानतां विज्ञातमविजानताम् ॥ ३ ॥
प्रतिबोधविदितं मतममृतत्वं हि विन्दते । आत्मना विन्दते वीर्यं विद्यया विन्दतेऽमृतम् ॥ ४ ॥
इह चेदवेदीदथ सत्यमस्ति न चेदिहावेदीन्महती विनष्टिः । भूतेषु भूतेषु विचित्य धीराः प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवन्ति ॥ ५ ॥
ब्रह्म ह देवेभ्यो विजिग्ये तस्य ह ब्रह्मणो विजये देवा अमहीयन्त त ऐक्षन्तास्माकमेवायं विजयोऽस्माकमेवायं महिमेति ॥ १ ॥
तद्धैषां विजज्ञौ तेभ्यो ह प्रादुर्बभूव तन्न व्यजानत किमिदं यक्षमिति ॥ २ ॥
तेऽग्निमब्रुवन् जातवेद एतद्विजानीहि किमेतद्यक्षमिति तथेति ॥ ३ ॥
तदभ्यद्रवत्तमभ्यवदत् कोऽसीत्यग्निर्वा अहमस्मीत्यब्रवीज्जातवेदा वा अहमस्मीति ॥ ४ ॥
तस्मिंस्त्वयि किं वीर्यमित्यपीदं सर्वं दहेयं यदिदं पृथिव्यामिति ॥ ५ ॥
तस्मै तृणं निदधावेतद्दहेति तदुपप्रेयाय सर्वजवेन तन्न शशाक दग्धुं स तत एव निववृते नैतदशकं विज्ञातुं यदेतद्यक्षमिति ॥ ६ ॥
अथ वायुमब्रुवन् वायवेतद्विजानीहि किमेतद्यक्षमिति तथेति ॥ ७ ॥
तदभ्यद्रवत्तमभ्यवदत्कोऽसीति वायुर्वा अहमस्मीत्यब्रवीन्मातरिश्वा वा अहमस्मीति ॥ ८ ॥
तस्मिंस्त्वयि किं वीर्यमित्यपीदं सर्वमाददीय यदिदं पृथिव्यामिति ॥ ९ ॥
तस्मै तृणं निदधावेतदादत्स्वेति तदुपप्रेयाय सर्वजवेन तन्न शशाकादातुं स तत एव निववृते नैतदशकं विज्ञातुं यदेतद्यक्षमिति ॥ १० ॥
अथेन्द्रमब्रुवन्मघवन्नेतद्विजानीहि किमेतद्यक्षमिति तथेति तदभ्यद्रवत्तस्मात्तिरोदधे ॥ ११ ॥
स तस्मिन्नेवाकाशे स्त्रियमाजगाम बहु शोभमानामुमां हैमवतीं तां होवाच किमेतद्यक्षमिति ॥ १२ ॥
ब्रह्मेति होवाच ब्रह्मणो वा एतद्विजये महीयध्वमिति ततो हैव विदाञ्चकार ब्रह्मेति ॥ १ ॥
तस्माद्वा एते देवा अतितरामिवान्यान्देवान्यदग्निर्वायुरिन्द्रस्ते ह्येनन्नेदिष्ठं पस्पर्शुस्ते ह्येनत्प्रथमो विदाञ्चकार ब्रह्मेति ॥ २ ॥
तस्माद्वा इन्द्रोऽतितरामिवान्यान्देवान्स ह्येनन्नेदिष्ठं पस्पर्श स ह्येनत्प्रथमो विदाञ्चकार ब्रह्मेति ॥ ३ ॥
तस्यैष आदेशो यदेतद्विद्युतो व्यद्युतदा३ इतीन्न्यमीमिषदा३ इत्यधिदैवतम् ॥ ४ ॥
अथाध्यात्मं यदेतद्गच्छतीव च मनोऽनेन चैतदुपस्मरत्यभीक्ष्णं सङ्कल्पः ॥ ५ ॥
तद्ध तद्वनं नाम तद्वनमित्युपासितव्यं स य एतदेवं वेदाभि हैनं सर्वाणि भूतानि संवाञ्छन्ति ॥ ६ ॥
उपनिषदं भो ब्रूहीत्युक्ता त उपनिषद्ब्राह्मीं वाव त उपनिषदमब्रूमेति ॥ ७ ॥
तस्यै तपो दमः कर्मेति प्रतिष्ठा वेदाः सर्वाङ्गानि सत्यमायतनम् ॥ ८ ॥
यो वा एतामेवं वेदापहत्य पाप्मानमनन्ते स्वर्गे लोके ज्येये प्रतितिष्ठति प्रतितिष्ठति ॥ ९ ॥
