Kena Upanishad - Part 2 - Odia

The second section of କେନୋପନିଷତ୍ moves from the first section's inquiry into a subtler correction: Brahman cannot be held as an object of complete conceptual mastery. The student must outgrow both spiritual arrogance and blank uncertainty.

These verses are famous for paradox. That paradox is not confusion; it is pedagogy. It breaks rigid mental habits and prepares the seeker for a mode of knowing that is immediate, lived, and non-objectifying.

ୟଦି ମନ୍ୟସେ ସୁଵେଦେତି ଦହରମେଵାପି
ନୂନଂ ତ୍ଵଂ ଵେତ୍ଥ ବ୍ରହ୍ମଣୋ ରୂପମ୍ ।
ୟଦସ୍ୟ ତ୍ଵଂ ୟଦସ୍ୟ ଦେଵେଷ୍ଵଥ ନୁ
ମୀମାମ୍ସ୍ୟମେଵ ତେ ମନ୍ୟେ ଵିଦିତମ୍ ॥ 1॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
If you think, "I know Brahman well," you know only a small aspect of it. What you take to be Brahman in yourself and in cosmic powers is still to be examined more deeply.

ନାହଂ ମନ୍ୟେ ସୁଵେଦେତି ନୋ ନ ଵେଦେତି ଵେଦ ଚ ।
ୟୋ ନସ୍ତଦ୍ଵେଦ ତଦ୍ଵେଦ ନୋ ନ ଵେଦେତି ଵେଦ ଚ ॥ 2॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
I do not think "I know Brahman fully," nor do I think "I do not know it at all." I know it in a different way. Whoever understands this manner of knowing truly knows.

ୟସ୍ୟାମତଂ ତସ୍ୟ ମତଂ ମତଂ ୟସ୍ୟ ନ ଵେଦ ସଃ ।
ଅଵିଜ୍ଞାତଂ ଵିଜାନତାଂ ଵିଜ୍ଞାତମଵିଜାନତାମ୍ ॥ 3॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
For the one who does not objectify Brahman as fully grasped, it is truly understood. For the one who thinks it is fully objectified, it is not understood. It is not knowable as an object to the wise, but appears objectified only to those without true insight.

ପ୍ରତିବୋଧଵିଦିତଂ ମତମମୃତତ୍ଵଂ ହି ଵିଂଦତେ ।
ଆତ୍ମନା ଵିଂଦତେ ଵୀର୍ୟଂ ଵିଦ୍ୟୟା ଵିଂଦତେଽମୃତମ୍ ॥ 4॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
Brahman is rightly understood as that which is known in every act of awareness; through this one attains immortality. Through the Self one gains inner strength, and through true knowledge one realizes the deathless state.

ଇହ ଚେଦଵେଦୀଦଥ ସତ୍ୟମସ୍ତି
ନ ଚେଦିହାଵେଦୀନ୍ମହତୀ ଵିନଷ୍ଟିଃ ।
ଭୂତେଷୁ ଭୂତେଷୁ ଵିଚିତ୍ୟ ଧୀରାଃ
ପ୍ରେତ୍ୟାସ୍ମାଲ୍ଲୋକାଦମୃତା ଭଵଂତି ॥ 5॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
If this is realized here in this very life, one's life is fulfilled in truth. If not realized here, the loss is great. The wise, seeing the Self in all beings, transcend limited worldly identity and attain immortality.

॥ ଇତି କେନୋପନିଷଦି ଦ୍ଵିତୀୟଃ ଖଂଡଃ ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
Thus ends the second section of the Kena Upanishad.

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