[Advaita-l] kena Upanishad(1)

[ken knight]

Namaste All,
Below is the English translation of the Kena Upanishad
that is essentially that of Swami Gambhirananda. To
hand are also translations by Radhakrishnan, Som Raj
Gupta, Swami Prabhavananda and Hiriyanna. Again this
is for reference and cutting and pasting if anyone
does not have a translation to hand.

.....................
First though we can look at the first Shloka after
reading the dedication:

1.	Willed by whom does the directed mind towards its
object? Being directed by whom does the vital force,
that precedes all, proceed (towards its duty)? By whom
is this speech willed that people utter? Who is the
effulgent being who directs the eyes and the ears?

In any given event we may find the discursive mind
questioning as follows?
Why is this happening to me?  The 'Why?' question has
this ability to direct us straight to the
ego..ahaMkAra....and is best allowed to pass on its
way.  The 'How' and 'What' questions lead us to the
mechanics of the physical and mental worlds and have
their place but a more reflective question that will
lead to an 'inner' enquiry is the 'Who'.
Hence, this Upanishad which will direct us to the
Supreme begins with this question.  
Looking back over my lifetime I now find that all the
various strands of life, that seemed to be so
unconnected at the time, now reveal a common purpose.
By whose will is it?  As I look out at the apparent
diversity whose will is it that seeks the unity upon
which the diversity is superimposed?
The mind, whether directed outwards or inwards is
always seeking an object and in order to establish
this difference we have speech, that continual
commentary in the languages of our culture and
training. 
But we have a paradox here.  The way that we commonly
use speech is so often ego-centric but surely the
purpose of speech is to communicate, to convey
knowledge and happiness. That is why we need good
company, both physical and mental, so that our speech
is correct and in line with that inner impulse that we
may name as 'Thy will' rather than 'my will'. So we
seek a teacher both within and without.  That is how
the pupil approaches the teacher in this verse.  Using
the questions based in 'Who?'
This question assumes that there is some connection
between what is observed and some underlying Reality,
a relationship between the knower and the known.
Ultimately we will want to dispense with this division
as it is purely the product of speech. And this is how
the Upanishad will proceed but we must go a step at a
time.
While writing this 'my' mind keeps repeating the
RgVedic verses:
Mandala 1 164.
34  I ask thee of the earth's extremest limit, where
is the centre of the world, I ask thee.
I ask thee of the Stallion's seed prolific, I ask of
highest heaven where Speech abideth.
35 This altar is the earth's extremest limit; this
sacrifice of ours is the world's centre.
The Stallion's seed prolific is the Soma; this Brahman
highest heaven where Speech abideth.

And Mandala 10. 129.
7 He, the first origin of this creation, whether he
formed it all or did not form it,
Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he
verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not.

..................................

Now for a look at Shankara's commentary on this verse
for which I rely on Swami Gambhirananda as I do not
have the Sanskrit to hand.
 Shankara points to the use of the word ‘preshitam’. 
With the prefix meaning ‘going towards’ and the root 
‘ish’ having the ‘desiring’ element.
So now we have the verse producing a fundamental
question for us. The mind is directed to seek a valid
means of knowledge…pramana…..But if Absolute, Brahman,
is all-pervading and all-knowing then there appears to
be a contradiction here and we should not use the idea
of ‘desiring’ in discussion of Brahman.

Shankara, according to Swamiji’s translation, says
that there is a special meaning here of  ‘preshitam’:
‘directed through whose will’ to which Swami adds: ‘By
mere presence with no effort’.

I like that statement.

In Shankara’s commentary on the verse, the opponent
continues to question about the source of the ‘desire’
and Shankara poses back the question, ‘Does the
directorship belong to the aggregate of the body and
the senses, which is a well known fact; or does the
directorship through mere will, over the mind etc.,
belong to some independent entity different to the
aggregate?’

So it seems to me that the Upanishad is immediately
directing us to consider a central paradox for the
thinking, reasoning mind. This is best illustrated
with the pot analogy: the space within the pot,
outside of the pot and within the molecular structure
of the pot is undivided and transcendent.  The pot
dwells in the space but there is no point of contact
between the potness of the pot and the space.   And
yet the pot desires to ‘know’ the space.  Having no
contact it can have no such knowledge, so the pot-mind
must ask this first question of the Upanishad which
Shankara rewrites as:
‘Hear what you have asked for in the question, “Who is
the director of the mind and other organs towards
their own objects, and how does he direct?”’

I hope that this is of use and will the more mature
intellects on this site dispose of the inaccuracies.

The full translation into English is below,

Ken Knight



Kena Upanishad

May my limbs, speech, vital force, eyes, ears, as also
strength and all the organs, become well developed.
Everything is  the Brahman revealed in the Upanishads.
May I not deny Brahman ; may not Brahman deny me. Let
there be no spurning (of me by Brahman), let there be
no rejection (of Brahman) by me. May all the virtues
that are (spoken of) in the Upanishads repose in me
who am engaged in the pursuit of the Self; may they
repose in me.

                                          Om  Peace!
Peace! Peace!


                                                      
        One

1.	Willed by whom does the directed mind towards its
object? Being directed by whom does the vital force,
that precedes all, proceed (towards its duty)? By whom
is this speech willed that people utter? Who is the
effulgent being who directs the eyes and the ears?

2.	Since He is the Ear of the ear, the Mind of the
mind, the Speech of speech, the Life of life and the
Eye of the eye, therefore the intelligent men, after
giving up (self-identification with the senses) and
renouncing this world, become immortal.

3.  The eye does not go there, nor speech, nor mind.
We do not know (Brahman to be such and such); hence we
are not aware of any process of instructing about It.

4. “That (Brahman) is surely different from the known;
and again, It is above the unknown.”  Such was (the
utterance) we have heard of the ancient (teachers) 
who explained It to us.

5. That which is not uttered by speech that by speech
is revealed, know that alone to be Brahman, and not
what people worship as an object.

6. That which man does not comprehend with the mind,
that by which, they say, the mind is encompassed, know
that alone to be Brahman, and not what people worship
as an object.

7. That by which man does not see with the eyes, that
by which man perceives the activities of the eye, know
that alone to be  Brahman, and not what people worship
as an object.

8. That by which man does not hear with the ear, that 
by which  man knows this ear, know that alone to be
Brahman, and not what people worship as an object.

9. That which man does not smell with the organ of
smell, that by which the organ of smell is impelled,
know that alone to be Brahman, and not what people
worship as an object.



                                                      
     Two

1.	( Teacher): If you think, “I have known Brahman
well enough,” then you have known only the very little
expression
that It has in the human body and the little
expression that It has among the gods.  Therefore
Brahman is still to be deliberated on by you. 
(Disciple): “I think (Brahman) is known.”

2.	“I do not think, ‘I know (Brahman) well enough’:
(ie. I consider) ‘Not that I do not know; I know and I
do not know as well.’  He among us who understands
that utterance, ‘Not that I do not know: I know and I
do n ot know as well,’ knows Brahman.’


3.  It is known to him to whom It is unknown; he does
not know to whom It is known. It is unknown to those
who know well, and known to those who do not know.


4.	It (i.e. Brahman) is really known when It is known
with (i.e. as the Self of) each state of
consciousness, because thereby one gets immortality.
(Since) through one’s own Self is acquired strength,
(therefore) through knowledge is attained immortality


5.	If one has realised here, then there is truth; if
he has not realised here, then there is great
destruction. The wise once, having realised (Brahman)
in all beings, and having turned away from this world,
become immortal.


                                                      
              Three


1.	It was Brahman, indeed, that achieved victory for
the sake of the gods. In that victory, that was in
fact Brahman’s, the gods
        became elated.

2.	They thought, “Ours, indeed, is this victory; ours,
indeed is this glory.”  Brahman knew this pretension
of theirs.  To them he did appear. They could not make
out about that  thing, as to what this Yaksha
(venerable Being) might be.

3.	They said to Fire, “O Jataveda, find out thoroughly
about this thing as to what this Yaksha is.”  He said,
“So be it.”

4.	To It he went. To him It said, “Who are you?”  He
said, “I am known as Fire, or I am Jataveda.”

5.	It said, “What power is in you, such as you are?” 
Fire said, “I can burn up all this on the earth.” 

6.	(Yaksha) placed a straw for him saying, “Burn
this.”  (Fire) approached the straw with the power
born of full enthusiasm. He could not consume it. He
returned from the Yaksha ( to tell the gods), “I could
not ascertain It fully as to what the Yaksha is.”


7.	Then the gods said to Air, “O Air, find out
thoroughly about this thing as to what the Yaksha is.”
 Air said, “So be it.”


8.	To It he went. To him It said, “Who are you?”  He
said, “I am known as Air, or I am Matarisva.”

9.	It said, “What power is in you, such as you are?” 
Fire said, “I can blow away all this on the earth.” 

10.	(Yaksha) placed a straw for him saying, “Take it
up.”  Air approached the straw with the power born of
full enthusiasm. He could not take it up. He returned
from the Yaksha ( to tell the gods), “I could not
ascertain It fully as to what the Yaksha is.”


11.	Then the gods said Indra, “O Maghava, find out
thoroughly about this thing, as to what this Yaksha
is.”  He said, “So be it.” He ( Indra) approached It
(Yaksha).  From him (Yaksha) vanished away.

12.	In that very space he approached the superbly
charming woman viz. Uma Haimavati.  To Her ( he said),
“What is this Yaksha?”

          


                                                      
           Four


1.  “It was Brahman,” said She, “in Brahman’s victory,
indeed, you became elated thus.”  From that
(utterance) alone, to be sure, did Indra learn that It
was Brahman.

2.	 Therefore, indeed, these gods, viz  Fire, Air, and
Indra, did excel other gods, for
     they touched It most proximately, and they knew
It first as Brahman.

3.	 Therefore did lndra excel the other deities. For
he touched It most proximately,
    inasmuch as he knew It first as Brahman.


4. This is Its instruction (about meditation) through
analogy. It is like that which is (known as) the flash
of lightning, and It is also as though the eye winked.
These are (illustrations) in a divine context.’

5. Then is the instruction through analogy in the
context of the (individual) self: This known fact,
that the mind seems  to go to it (Brahman), and the
fact that It (Brahman) is repeatedly remembered
through the mind; as also the thought (that the mind
has with regard to Brahman).
 
6.	The Brahman is well known as the one adorable to
all creatures: (hence) It is to
 be meditated on with the help of the name tadvana.
All creatures surely pray to anyone who meditates on
It in this way.



    7.Disciple: “Sir, speak of the secret knowledge.”
(Teacher): “I have told you of the
   secret knowledge; I have imparted to you that very
secret knowledge of Brahman.”

8.	Concentration, cessation from sense-objects, rites
etc are its legs; the Vedas are all its limbs: truth
is its abode.

      9.  Anyone who knows thus, he, having dispelled
sin, remains firmly seated in the
      boundless, blissful, and highest  Brahman.  He
remains firmly seated (there).


       











Kena Upanishad.  English Translation.

May my limbs, speech, vital force, eyes, ears, as also
strength and all the organs, become well developed.
Everything is  the Brahman revealed in the Upanishads.
May I not deny Brahman ; may not Brahman deny me. Let
there be no spurning (of me by Brahman), let there be
no rejection (of Brahman) by me. May all the virtues
that are (spoken of) in the Upanishads repose in me
who am engaged in the pursuit of the Self; may they
repose in me.

                                          Om  Peace!
Peace! Peace!


                                                      
        One

1.	Willed by whom does the directed mind towards its
object? Being directed by whom does the vital force,
that precedes all, proceed (towards its duty)? By whom
is this speech willed that people utter? Who is the
effulgent being who directs the eyes and the ears?

2.	Since He is the Ear of the ear, the Mind of the
mind, the Speech of speech, the Life of life and the
Eye of the eye, therefore the intelligent men, after
giving up (self-identification with the senses) and
renouncing this world, become immortal.

3.  The eye does not go there, nor speech, nor mind.
We do not know (Brahman to be such and such); hence we
are not aware of any process of instructing about It.

4. “That (Brahman) is surely different from the known;
and again, It is above the unknown.”  Such was (the
utterance) we have heard of the ancient (teachers) 
who explained It to us.

5. That which is not uttered by speech that by speech
is revealed, know that alone to be Brahman, and not
what people worship as an object.

6. That which man does not comprehend with the mind,
that by which, they say, the mind is encompassed, know
that alone to be Brahman, and not what people worship
as an object.

7. That by which man does not see with the eyes, that
by which man perceives the activities of the eye, know
that alone to be  Brahman, and not what people worship
as an object.

8. That by which man does not hear with the ear, that 
by which  man knows this ear, know that alone to be
Brahman, and not what people worship as an object.

9. That which man does not smell with the organ of
smell, that by which the organ of smell is impelled,
know that alone to be Brahman, and not what people
worship as an object.



                                                      
     Two

1.	( Teacher): If you think, “I have known Brahman
well enough,” then you have known only the very little
expression
that It has in the human body and the little
expression that It has among the gods.  Therefore
Brahman is still to be deliberated on by you. 
(Disciple): “I think (Brahman) is known.”

2.	“I do not think, ‘I know (Brahman) well enough’:
(ie. I consider) ‘Not that I do not know; I know and I
do not know as well.’  He among us who understands
that utterance, ‘Not that I do not know: I know and I
do n ot know as well,’ knows Brahman.’


3.  It is known to him to whom It is unknown; he does
not know to whom It is known. It is unknown to those
who know well, and known to those who do not know.


4.	It (i.e. Brahman) is really known when It is known
with (i.e. as the Self of) each state of
consciousness, because thereby one gets immortality.
(Since) through one’s own Self is acquired strength,
(therefore) through knowledge is attained immortality


5.	If one has realised here, then there is truth; if
he has not realised here, then there is great
destruction. The wise once, having realised (Brahman)
in all beings, and having turned away from this world,
become immortal.


                                                      
              Three


1.	It was Brahman, indeed, that achieved victory for
the sake of the gods. In that victory, that was in
fact Brahman’s, the gods
        became elated.

2.	They thought, “Ours, indeed, is this victory; ours,
indeed is this glory.”  Brahman knew this pretension
of theirs.  To them he did appear. They could not make
out about that  thing, as to what this Yaksha
(venerable Being) might be.

3.	They said to Fire, “O Jataveda, find out thoroughly
about this thing as to what this Yaksha is.”  He said,
“So be it.”

4.	To It he went. To him It said, “Who are you?”  He
said, “I am known as Fire, or I am Jataveda.”

5.	It said, “What power is in you, such as you are?” 
Fire said, “I can burn up all this on the earth.” 

6.	(Yaksha) placed a straw for him saying, “Burn
this.”  (Fire) approached the straw with the power
born of full enthusiasm. He could not consume it. He
returned from the Yaksha ( to tell the gods), “I could
not ascertain It fully as to what the Yaksha is.”


7.	Then the gods said to Air, “O Air, find out
thoroughly about this thing as to what the Yaksha is.”
 Air said, “So be it.”


8.	To It he went. To him It said, “Who are you?”  He
said, “I am known as Air, or I am Matarisva.”

9.	It said, “What power is in you, such as you are?” 
Fire said, “I can blow away all this on the earth.” 

10.	(Yaksha) placed a straw for him saying, “Take it
up.”  Air approached the straw with the power born of
full enthusiasm. He could not take it up. He returned
from the Yaksha ( to tell the gods), “I could not
ascertain It fully as to what the Yaksha is.”


11.	Then the gods said Indra, “O Maghava, find out
thoroughly about this thing, as to what this Yaksha
is.”  He said, “So be it.” He ( Indra) approached It
(Yaksha).  From him (Yaksha) vanished away.

12.	In that very space he approached the superbly
charming woman viz. Uma Haimavati.  To Her ( he said),
“What is this Yaksha?”

          


                                                      
           Four


1.  “It was Brahman,” said She, “in Brahman’s victory,
indeed, you became elated thus.”  From that
(utterance) alone, to be sure, did Indra learn that It
was Brahman.

2.	 Therefore, indeed, these gods, viz  Fire, Air, and
Indra, did excel other gods, for
     they touched It most proximately, and they knew
It first as Brahman.

3.	 Therefore did lndra excel the other deities. For
he touched It most proximately,
    inasmuch as he knew It first as Brahman.


4. This is Its instruction (about meditation) through
analogy. It is like that which is (known as) the flash
of lightning, and It is also as though the eye winked.
These are (illustrations) in a divine context.’

5. Then is the instruction through analogy in the
context of the (individual) self: This known fact,
that the mind seems  to go to it (Brahman), and the
fact that It (Brahman) is repeatedly remembered
through the mind; as also the thought (that the mind
has with regard to Brahman).
 
6.	The Brahman is well known as the one adorable to
all creatures: (hence) It is to
 be meditated on with the help of the name tadvana.
All creatures surely pray to anyone who meditates on
It in this way.



    7.Disciple: “Sir, speak of the secret knowledge.”
(Teacher): “I have told you of the
   secret knowledge; I have imparted to you that very
secret knowledge of Brahman.”

8.	Concentration, cessation from sense-objects, rites
etc are its legs; the Vedas are all its limbs: truth
is its abode.

      9.  Anyone who knows thus, he, having dispelled
sin, remains firmly seated in the
      boundless, blissful, and highest  Brahman.  He
remains firmly seated (there).


       











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