Kena Upanishad - Part 3 - Shuddha Kannada

The third section of ಕೇನೋಪನಿಷತ್ 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 ಯಕ್ಷ and quietly reveals the limits of even divine functions like fire and wind.

ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಹ ದೇವೇಭ್ಯೋ ವಿಜಿಗ್ಯೇ ತಸ್ಯ ಹ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣೋ ವಿಜಯೇ ದೇವಾ ಅಮಹೀಯನ್ತ ॥ 1॥

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

ತ ಐಕ್ಷನ್ತಾಸ್ಮಾಕಮೇವಾಯಂ ವಿಜಯೋಽಸ್ಮಾಕಮೇವಾಯಂ ಮಹಿಮೇತಿ । ತದ್ಧೈಷಾಂ ವಿಜಜ್ಞೌ ತೇಭ್ಯೋ ಹ ಪ್ರಾದುರ್ಬಭೂವ ತನ್ನ ವ್ಯಜಾನತ ಕಿಮಿದಂ ಯಕ್ಷಮಿತಿ ॥ 2॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
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?"

ತೇಽಗ್ನಿಮಬ್ರುವಞ್ಜಾತವೇದ ಏತದ್ವಿಜಾನೀಹಿ ಕಿಮಿದಂ ಯಕ್ಷಮಿತಿ ತಥೇತಿ ॥ 3॥

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

ತದಭ್ಯದ್ರವತ್ತಮಭ್ಯವದತ್ಕೋಽಸೀತ್ಯಗ್ನಿರ್ವಾ ಅಹಮಸ್ಮೀತ್ಯಬ್ರವೀಜ್ಜಾತವೇದಾ ವಾ ಅಹಮಸ್ಮೀತಿ ॥ 4॥

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

ತಸ್ಮಿನ್ಸ್ತ್ವಯಿ ಕಿಂ ವೀರ್ಯಮಿತ್ಯಪೀದꣳ ಸರ್ವಂ ದಹೇಯಂ ಯದಿದಂ ಪೃಥಿವ್ಯಾಮಿತಿ ॥ 5॥

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

ತಸ್ಮೈ ತೃಣಂ ನಿದಧಾವೇತದ್ದಹೇತಿ । ತದುಪಪ್ರೇಯಾಯ ಸರ್ವಜವೇನ ತನ್ನ ಶಶಾಕ ದಗ್ಧುಂ ಸ ತತ ಏವ ನಿವವೃತೇ ನೈತದಶಕಂ ವಿಜ್ಞಾತುಂ ಯದೇತದ್ಯಕ್ಷಮಿತಿ ॥ 6॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
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."

ಅಥ ವಾಯುಮಬ್ರುವನ್ವಾಯವೇತದ್ವಿಜಾನೀಹಿ ಕಿಮೇತದ್ಯಕ್ಷಮಿತಿ ತಥೇತಿ ॥ 7॥

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

ತದಭ್ಯದ್ರವತ್ತಮಭ್ಯವದತ್ಕೋಽಸೀತಿ ವಾಯುರ್ವಾ ಅಹಮಸ್ಮೀತ್ಯಬ್ರವೀನ್ಮಾತರಿಶ್ವಾ ವಾ ಅಹಮಸ್ಮೀತಿ ॥ 8॥

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

ತಸ್ಮಿನ್ಸ್ತ್ವಯಿ ಕಿಂ ವೀರ್ಯಮಿತ್ಯಪೀದಂ ಸರ್ವಮಾದದೀಯ ಯದಿದಂ ಪೃಥಿವ್ಯಾಮಿತಿ ॥ 9॥

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

ತಸ್ಮೈ ತೃಣಂ ನಿದಧಾವೇತದಾದತ್ಸ್ವೇತಿ ತದುಪಪ್ರೇಯಾಯ ಸರ್ವಜವೇನ ತನ್ನ ಶಶಾಕಾದಾತುಂ ಸ ತತ ಏವ ನಿವವೃತೇ ನೈತದಶಕಂ ವಿಜ್ಞಾತುಂ ಯದೇತದ್ಯಕ್ಷಮಿತಿ ॥ 10॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
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."

ಅಥೇನ್ದ್ರಮಬ್ರುವನ್ಮಘವನ್ನೇತದ್ವಿಜಾನೀಹಿ ಕಿಮೇತದ್ಯಕ್ಷಮಿತಿ ತಥೇತಿ ತದಭ್ಯದ್ರವತ್ತಸ್ಮಾತ್ತಿರೋದಧೇ ॥ 11॥

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

ಸ ತಸ್ಮಿನ್ನೇವಾಕಾಶೇ ಸ್ತ್ರಿಯಮಾಜಗಾಮ ಬಹುಶೋಭಮಾನಾಮುಮಾಂ ಹೈಮವತೀಂ ತಾಗಂಹೋವಾಚ ಕಿಮೇತದ್ಯಕ್ಷಮಿತಿ ॥ 12॥

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

॥ ಇತಿ ಕೇನೋಪನಿಷದಿ ತೃತೀಯಃ ಖಣ್ಡಃ ॥

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

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