Muni's PlaySelected Verses of Kena Upanishad
Here are the selected verses from the Kena Upanishad. You can click on the heading of each verse to view its individual note.
Kena Upanishad Verse 1.1
The Upanishad begins with a deep inquiry into the source of life and consciousness. The seeker asks what power directs the mind to its objects, what command starts the first breath (Prana), and what intelligence enables speech, sight, and hearing.
Sanskrit Verse
ओं केनेषितं पतति प्रेषितं मनः केन प्राणः प्रथमः प्रैति युक्तः ।
केनेषितां वाचमिमां वदन्ति चक्षुः श्रोत्रं क उ देवो युनक्ति ॥ १ ॥
Transliteration
oṃ keneṣitaṃ patati preṣitaṃ manaḥ kena prāṇaḥ prathamaḥ praiti yuktaḥ |
keneṣitāṃ vācamimāṃ vadanti cakṣuḥ śrotraṃ ka u devo yunakti || 1 ||
Translation
By whom willed and directed does the mind light on its subjects? By whom commanded does prana, the first, move? By whose will do men speak this speech? What Intelligence directs the eye and the ear?
Kena Upanishad Verse 1.2
The teacher responds by defining Brahman as the underlying power of all faculties. It is that which gives sight to the eye and hearing to the ear. By recognizing this inner truth and transcending the false identification with the physical body, the wise attain immortality.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रोत्रस्य श्रोत्रं मनसो मनो यद् वाचो ह वाचं स उ प्राणस्य प्राणः । चक्षुषश्चक्षुरतिमुच्य धीराः प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवन्ति ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration
śrotrasya śrotraṃ manaso mano yadvāco ha vācaṃ sa u prāṇasya prāṇaścakṣuṣaścakṣuḥ |
atimucya dhīrāḥ pretyāsmāllokādamṛtā bhavanti || 2 ||
Translation
It is the ear of the ear, mind of the mind, tongue of the tongue, and also life of the life and eye of the eye. Being disabused of the false notion, the wise, having left this body, become immortal.
Kena Upanishad Verse 1.3
This verse highlights the transcendence and unknowability of Brahman through ordinary means. It is beyond the reach of the senses and the mind. Because It is distinct from everything known and even beyond the unknown, It can only be understood through the traditional instruction of realized teachers.
Sanskrit Verse
न तत्र चक्षुर्गच्छति न वाग्गच्छति नो मन्रो न विद्मो न विजानीमो यथैतदनुशिष्यादन्यदेव तद्विदितादथो अविदितादधि |
इति शुश्रुम पूर्वेषां ye नस्तद्व्याचचक्षिरे ॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration
na tatra cakṣurgacchati na vāggacchati no mano na vidmo na vijānīmo yathaitadanuśiṣyādanyadeva tadviditādatho aviditādadhi |
iti śuśruma pūrveṣāṃ ye nastadvyācacakṣire || 3 ||
Translation
The eye does not go there, nor speech, nor mind. We do not know That. We do not know how to instruct one about It. It is distinct from the known and above the unknown. We have heard it so stated by preceptors who taught us that.
Kena Upanishad Verse 1.4
Brahman is the power that enables speech but cannot be expressed by speech. The teacher emphasizes that the Absolute is the internal source of expression, not any external object of worship that humans typically conceptualize.
Sanskrit Verse
यद्वाचानभ्युदितं येन वागभ्युद्यते ।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration
yadvācānabhyuditaṃ yena vāgabhyudyate |
tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate || 4 ||
Translation
What speech does not enlighten, but what enlightens speech, know that alone to be the Brahman, not this which (people) here worship.
Kena Upanishad Verse 1.5
Continuing the theme of the ‘internal enabler,’ this verse states that the mind cannot conceive Brahman; rather, it is Brahman that empowers the mind to think. True realization is recognizing the source and avoiding the worship of mental constructs.
Sanskrit Verse
यन्मनसा न मनुते येनाहुर्मनो मतम् ।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration
yanmanasā na manute yenāhurmano matam |
tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate || 5 ||
Translation
What one cannot think with the mind, but by which they say the mind is made to think, know That alone to be the Brahman, not this which (people) here worship.
Kena Upanishad Verse 1.6
The eye sees external forms, but it cannot see the Atman. Instead, it is the Atman that provides the very capacity for vision. This verse redirects the seeker’s attention from the seen to the internal Seer.
Sanskrit Verse
यच्चक्षुषा न पश्यति येन चक्षूँषि पश्यति ।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration
yaccakṣuṣā na paśyati yena cakṣūm̐ṣi paśyati |
tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate || 6 ||
Translation
What cannot be seen by the eye, but by which the eyes are able to see. That alone know thou to be the Brahman; not this which (people) here worship.
Kena Upanishad Verse 1.7
Hearing is made possible by the presence of the Infinite. While sounds are heard by the ear, the Absolute itself remains beyond auditory perception. One should know the enabler of hearing to be the true Brahman.
Sanskrit Verse
यच्छ्रोत्रेण न शृणोति येन श्रोत्रमिँश्रुतम् ।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ७ ॥
Transliteration
yacchrotreṇa na śṛṇoti yena śrotramim̐śrutam |
tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate || 7 ||
Translation
What cannot be heard with the ear, but by which the ears are able to hear, That alone know thou to be the Brahman; not this which (people) here worship.
Kena Upanishad Verse 1.8
The final verse of the first Khanda focuses on the life-force (Prana). Breath itself is empowered by Brahman, yet Brahman is not something that is breathed by the respiratory organs. This underscores the Atman as the most subtle and internal reality.
Sanskrit Verse
यत्प्राणेन न प्राणिति येन प्राणः प्रणीयते ।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ ८ ॥
Transliteration
yatprāṇena na prāṇiti yena prāṇaḥ praṇīyate |
tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate || 8 ||
Translation
What none breathes with the breath, but by which breath is in-breathed, That alone know thou to be the Brahman; not this which (people) here worship.
Kena Upanishad Verse 2.1
The second Khanda begins with a subtle warning against intellectual pride. If a seeker thinks they know Brahman fully, they have understood very little. Because Brahman is infinite and the subject of all experience, it cannot be categorized as a known object.
Sanskrit Verse
यदि मन्यसे सुवेदेति दहरमेवापि नूनम् |
त्वं वेत्थ ब्रह्मणो रूपम् यदस्य त्वं यदस्य देवेष्वथ नु मीमाँस्यमेव ते मन्ये विदितम् ॥ ९ ॥
Transliteration
yadi manyase suvedeti daharamevāpi nūnam |
tvaṃ vettha brahmaṇo rūpam yadasya tvaṃ yadasya deveṣvatha nu mīmām̐syameva te manye viditam ॥ 9 ॥
Translation
If thou thinkest ‘I know well’ it is certainly but little—the form of the Brahman thou hast known, as also the form in the Devas. Therefore I think that what thou thinkest known is still to be ascertained.
Kena Upanishad Verse 2.2
The nature of spiritual knowledge is paradoxical. The seeker explains that knowledge of the Absolute is not like ordinary knowledge; it is a profound recognition that is neither complete ignorance nor finite ‘knowing’ of an object.
Sanskrit Verse
नाहं मन्ये सुवेदेति नो न वेदेति वेद च ।
यो नस्तद्वेद तद्वेद नो न वेदेति वेद च ॥ १० ॥
Transliteration
nāhaṃ manye suvedeti no na vedeti veda ca |
yo nastadveda tadveda no na vedeti veda ca || 10 ||
Translation
I do not think I know well; I know too; not that I do not know. He of us who knows that, knows that as also what is meant by ‘I know too; not that I do not know.’
Kena Upanishad Verse 2.3
This verse famously describes the ‘unknowability’ of Brahman. It is truly known only by those who realize It is beyond objective knowledge. Those who believe they ‘know’ It as an object have missed the point, as the subject can never be an object to itself.
Sanskrit Verse
यस्यामतं तस्य मतं मतं यस्य न वेद सः ।
अविज्ञातं विजानतां विज्ञातमविजानताम् ॥ ११ ॥
Transliteration
yasyāmataṃ tasya mataṃ mataṃ yasya na veda saḥ |
avijñātaṃ vijānatāṃ vijñātamavijānatām || 11 ||
Translation
It is Known to him to whom it is Unknown; he knows it not to whom it is known. (It is) Unknown to those who know, and Known to those who do not know.
Kena Upanishad Verse 2.4
Realization occurs when Brahman is recognized as the witness (Sakshi) behind every state of consciousness. By identifying with this eternal witness rather than the passing states of mind, the seeker gains spiritual strength and enters into the state of immortality.
Sanskrit Verse
प्रतिबोधविदितं मतममृतत्वं हि विन्दते ।
आत्मना विन्दते वीर्यं विद्यया विन्दतेऽमृतम् ॥ १२ ॥
Transliteration
pratibodhaviditaṃ matamamṛtatvaṃ hi vindate |
ātmanā vindate vīryaṃ vidyayā vindate’mṛtam || 12 ||
Translation
(The Brahman) is known well, when it is known as the witness of every state of consciousness; for (by such knowledge) one attains immortality. By his Self he attains strength and by knowledge, immortality.
Kena Upanishad Verse 2.5
The teacher emphasizes the urgency of realization in this human life. If the Truth is realized here, there is great fulfillment; if not, there is great spiritual loss. The wise see the one Atman in all beings and, turning away from the temporal world, attain immortality.
Sanskrit Verse
इह चेदवेदीदथ सत्यमस्ति न चेदिहावेदीन्महती विनष्टिः ।
भूतेषु भूतेषु विचित्य धीराः प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवन्ति ॥ १३ ॥
Transliteration
iha cedavedīdatha satyamasti na cedihāvedīnmahatī vinaṣṭiḥ |
bhūteṣu bhūteṣu vicitya dhīrāḥ pretyāsmāllokādamṛtā bhavanti || 13 ||
Translation
If one knows (That) here, then there is truth. If one knows not (That) here, there will be great loss. The wise, seeing the one Atman in all created things, having turned away from this world, become immortal.
Kena Upanishad Verse 4.8
The Upanishad concludes by defining the foundation of this sacred wisdom. It emphasizes that spiritual realization is built upon the pillars of self-effort (tapas), self-control (dama), and dedicated action (karma), with the Vedas as its limbs and Truth as its ultimate abode.
Sanskrit Verse
तसै तपो दमः कर्मेति प्रतिष्ठा वेदाः सर्वाङ्गानि सत्यमायतनम् ॥ ३३ ॥
Transliteration
tasai tapo damaḥ karmeti pratiṣṭhā vedāḥ sarvāṅgāni satyamāyatanam || 33 ||
Translation
Tapas (austerity), Dama (self-control) and Karma (dedicated work) are its foundation; the Vedas are its limbs; Truth is its dwelling place.