Kena Upanishad - Part 3 - English

The third section of kēnōpaniṣat teaches through narrative rather than pure abstraction. After declaring that Brahman is the source behind all faculties, the text now exposes a subtler obstacle: spiritual pride.

The gods win victory only through Brahman, but they mistake borrowed power for personal greatness. To correct this, Brahman appears as a mysterious yakṣa and quietly reveals the limits of even divine functions like fire and wind.

brahma ha dēvēbhyō vijigyē tasya ha brahmaṇō vijayē dēvā amahīyanta ॥ 1॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Brahman indeed won victory for the gods; yet in that victory of Brahman, the gods became self-glorifying.

ta aikṣantāsmākamēvāyaṃ vijayō'smākamēvāyaṃ mahimēti । taddhaiṣāṃ vijajñau tēbhyō ha prādurbabhūva tanna vyajānata kimidaṃ yakṣamiti ॥ 2॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
They thought, "This victory is ours alone; this greatness is ours alone." Brahman understood this and appeared before them, but they did not recognize that mysterious presence, asking, "What is this yaksha?"

tē'gnimabruvañjātavēda ētadvijānīhi kimidaṃ yakṣamiti tathēti ॥ 3॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
They said to Agni, "O Jataveda, find out what this mysterious being is." He replied, "So be it."

tadabhyadravattamabhyavadatkō'sītyagnirvā ahamasmītyabravījjātavēdā vā ahamasmīti ॥ 4॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Agni approached it, and the being asked, "Who are you?" Agni replied, "I am Agni; I am Jataveda."

tasminstvayi kiṃ vīryamityapīdaꣳ sarvaṃ dahēyaṃ yadidaṃ pṛthivyāmiti ॥ 5॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
It asked, "What power is in you?" Agni said, "I can burn all this, whatever exists on earth."

tasmai tṛṇaṃ nidadhāvētaddahēti । tadupaprēyāya sarvajavēna tanna śaśāka dagdhuṃ sa tata ēva nivavṛtē naitadaśakaṃ vijñātuṃ yadētadyakṣamiti ॥ 6॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
It placed a blade of grass before him and said, "Burn this." Agni rushed with full force, but could not burn it. He returned and said, "I could not determine what this yaksha is."

atha vāyumabruvanvāyavētadvijānīhi kimētadyakṣamiti tathēti ॥ 7॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Then they said to Vayu, "O Vayu, find out what this yaksha is." He replied, "So be it."

tadabhyadravattamabhyavadatkō'sīti vāyurvā ahamasmītyabravīnmātariśvā vā ahamasmīti ॥ 8॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Vayu approached it, and it asked, "Who are you?" He replied, "I am Vayu; I am Matarishva."

tasminstvayi kiṃ vīryamityapīdaṃ sarvamādadīya yadidaṃ pṛthivyāmiti ॥ 9॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
It asked, "What power is in you?" Vayu replied, "I can sweep away or take up all this, whatever is on earth."

tasmai tṛṇaṃ nidadhāvētadādatsvēti tadupaprēyāya sarvajavēna tanna śaśākādātuṃ sa tata ēva nivavṛtē naitadaśakaṃ vijñātuṃ yadētadyakṣamiti ॥ 10॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
It placed a blade of grass and said, "Take this up." Vayu rushed with all force but could not move it. He returned and said, "I could not determine what this yaksha is."

athēndramabruvanmaghavannētadvijānīhi kimētadyakṣamiti tathēti tadabhyadravattasmāttirōdadhē ॥ 11॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Then they said to Indra, "O Maghavan, find out what this yaksha is." He agreed and approached it; but it vanished from before him.

sa tasminnēvākāśē striyamājagāma bahuśōbhamānāmumāṃ haimavatīṃ tāgṃhōvācha kimētadyakṣamiti ॥ 12॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
In that very space he encountered a radiant woman - Uma Haimavati - and asked her, "What was that yaksha?"

॥ iti kēnōpaniṣadi tṛtīyaḥ khaṇḍaḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Thus ends the third section of the Kena Upanishad.

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