Kena Upanishad - Part 1 - Konkani

This document is in सरल देवनागरी (Devanagari) script, which is commonly used for Konkani language. You can also view this in ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada) script, which is also sometimes used for Konkani language.

केन उपनिषद् - प्रथमः खंडः

केनोपनिषत्, traditionally associated with the तालवकार stream of the सामवेद, is counted among the principal Upanishads studied in Vedanta. It is treated as foundational because it asks a radical question at the root of spiritual inquiry: not merely "what exists," but "by whose power do mind, speech, sight, hearing, and life-force function?"

This first part (प्रथमः खंडः) lays that foundation through direct questions and paradox-style answers. The movement is from instrument to source: from hearing to the hearer of hearing, from thinking to that by which thought itself is illumined.

Read these verses as a practice text, not only a philosophical text: hear (श्रवण), reflect (मनन), and internalize (निदिध्यासन) until awareness is recognized as prior to every changing thought and perception.

॥ अथ केनोपनिषत् ॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
Now begins the Kena Upanishad, the inquiry into the ultimate source behind all faculties.

ॐ स@ह ना#ववतु । स@ह नौ# भुनक्तु । स@ह वी@र्य#ं करवावहै । ते@ज@स्विना@वधी#तमस्तु@ मा वि#द्विषा@वहै$ ।

Translation (भावार्थ):
May the Lord protect us both. May He nourish us both. May we strive together with strength. May our study be radiant and fruitful. May we never be hostile to one another.

ॐ शांति@ः शांति@ः शांति#ः ॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
Om. Peace, peace, peace.

ॐ आप्यायंतु ममांगानि वाक्प्राणश्चक्षुः श्रोत्रमथो बलमिंद्रियाणि च सर्वाणि । सर्वं ब्रह्मौपनिषदं माऽहं ब्रह्म निराकुर्यां मा मा ब्रह्म निराकरोदनिराकरणमस्त्वनिराकरणं मेऽस्तु । तदात्मनि निरते य उपनिषत्सु धर्मास्ते मयि संतु ते मयि संतु ।

Translation (भावार्थ):
May my limbs, speech, life-force, eyes, ears, strength, and all faculties be nourished. May I recognize everything as Brahman as taught in the Upanishads. May I never reject Brahman, and may Brahman never be hidden from me. May the disciplines taught in the Upanishads abide in me who is devoted to the Self.

ॐ शांति@ः शांति@ः शांति#ः ॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
Om. Peace, peace, peace.

केनेषितं पतति प्रेषितं मनः
केन प्राणः प्रथमः प्रैति युक्तः ।
केनेषितां वाचमिमां वदंति
चक्षुः श्रोत्रं क उ देवो युनक्ति ॥ 1 ॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
By whose will does the mind go toward its objects? Directed by whom does the life-force function? By whose power do people speak, and what divinity connects the eye and ear to their functions?

श्रोत्रस्य श्रोत्रं मनसो मनो यद्
वाचो ह वाचं स उ प्राणस्य प्राणः ।
चक्षुषश्चक्षुरतिमुच्य धीराः
प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवंति ॥ 2 ॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
That which is the hearing in hearing, the thinking in thought, the speech in speech, the life in life-force, and the seeing in sight - realizing that, the wise go beyond limited identification and attain immortality.

न तत्र चक्षुर्गच्छति न वाग्गच्छति नो मनः ।
न विद्मो न विजानीमो यथैतदनुशिष्यात् ॥ 3 ॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
There the eye does not reach, nor speech, nor mind. We do not know it in the usual way, nor how to instruct it as one instructs an object.

अन्यदेव तद्विदितादथो अविदितादधि ।
इति शुश्रुम पूर्वेषां ये नस्तद्व्याचचक्षिरे ॥ 4 ॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
It is indeed other than the known, and beyond the unknown as well. So have we heard from the ancient teachers who explained this to us.

यद्वाचाऽनभ्युदितं येन वागभ्युद्यते ।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ 5 ॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
That which speech cannot reveal, but by which speech itself is made possible - know that alone to be Brahman, not this limited object people take as ultimate.

यन्मनसा न मनुते येनाहुर्मनो मतम् ।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ 6 ॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
That which the mind cannot grasp as an object, but by which the mind itself is illumined - know that alone as Brahman, not this limited object of worship.

यच्चक्षुषा न पश्यति येन चक्षूंषि पश्यति ।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ 7 ॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
That which the eyes cannot see, but by which the eyes gain their power of seeing - know that alone as Brahman, not this limited object people treat as absolute.

यच्छ्रोत्रेण न श‍ऋणोति येन श्रोत्रमिदं श्रुतम् ।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ 8 ॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
That which the ear cannot hear, but by which hearing itself takes place - know that alone as Brahman, not this limited object taken as ultimate.

यत्प्राणेन न प्राणिति येन प्राणः प्रणीयते ।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ 9 ॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
That which is not animated by the life-force, but by which the life-force itself is impelled - know that alone as Brahman, not this limited object taken as final reality.

॥ इति केनोपनिषदि प्रथमः खंडः ॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
Thus ends the first section of the Kena Upanishad.

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