Kena Upanishad - Part 1 - Tamil

கேனோபனிஷத், traditionally associated with the தாலவகார stream of the ஸாமவேத³, 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 (ப்ரத²ம: க²ண்ட:³) 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 (ஶ்ரவண), reflect (மனன), and internalize (நிதி³த்⁴யாஸன) until awareness is recognized as prior to every changing thought and perception.

॥ அத² கேனோபனிஷத் ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
Now begins the Kena Upanishad, the inquiry into the ultimate source behind all faculties.

ஓம் ஸ@ஹ நா#வவது । ஸ@ஹ நௌ# பு⁴னக்து । ஸ@ஹ வீ@ர்யம்# கரவாவஹை । தே@ஜ@ஸ்வினா@வதீ⁴#தமஸ்து@ மா வி#த்³விஷா@வஹை$ ।

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
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.

ஓம் ஶாந்தி@: ஶாந்தி@: ஶாந்தி#: ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
Om. Peace, peace, peace.

ஓம் ஆப்யாயந்து மமாங்கா³னி வாக்ப்ராணஶ்சக்ஷு: ஶ்ரோத்ரமதோ² ப³லமிந்த்³ரியாணி ச ஸர்வாணி । ஸர்வம் ப்³ரஹ்மௌபனிஷத³ம் மாஹம் ப்³ரஹ்ம நிராகுர்யாம் மா மா ப்³ரஹ்ம நிராகரோத³னிராகரணமஸ்த்வனிராகரணம் மேஸ்து । ததா³த்மனி நிரதே ய உபனிஷத்ஸு த⁴ர்மாஸ்தே மயி ஸந்து தே மயி ஸந்து ।

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
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.

ஓம் ஶாந்தி@: ஶாந்தி@: ஶாந்தி#: ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
Om. Peace, peace, peace.

கேனேஷிதம் பததி ப்ரேஷிதம் மன:
கேன ப்ராண: ப்ரத²ம: ப்ரைதி யுக்த: ।
கேனேஷிதாம் வாசமிமாம் வத³ந்தி
சக்ஷு: ஶ்ரோத்ரம் க உ தே³வோ யுனக்தி ॥ 1 ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
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?

ஶ்ரோத்ரஸ்ய ஶ்ரோத்ரம் மனஸோ மனோ யத்³
வாசோ ஹ வாசம் ஸ உ ப்ராணஸ்ய ப்ராண: ।
சக்ஷுஷஶ்சக்ஷுரதிமுச்ய தீ⁴ரா:
ப்ரேத்யாஸ்மால்லோகாத³ம்ருதா ப⁴வந்தி ॥ 2 ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
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.

ந தத்ர சக்ஷுர்க³ச்ச²தி ந வாக்³க³ச்ச²தி நோ மன: ।
ந வித்³மோ ந விஜானீமோ யதை²தத³னுஶிஷ்யாத் ॥ 3 ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
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.

அன்யதே³வ தத்³விதி³தாத³தோ² அவிதி³தாத³தி⁴ ।
இதி ஶுஶ்ரும பூர்வேஷாம் யே நஸ்தத்³வ்யாசசக்ஷிரே ॥ 4 ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
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.

யத்³வாசானப்⁴யுதி³தம் யேன வாக³ப்⁴யுத்³யதே ।
ததே³வ ப்³ரஹ்ம த்வம் வித்³தி⁴ நேத³ம் யதி³த³முபாஸதே ॥ 5 ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
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.

யன்மனஸா ந மனுதே யேனாஹுர்மனோ மதம் ।
ததே³வ ப்³ரஹ்ம த்வம் வித்³தி⁴ நேத³ம் யதி³த³முபாஸதே ॥ 6 ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
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.

யச்சக்ஷுஷா ந பஶ்யதி யேன சக்ஷூம்ஷி பஶ்யதி ।
ததே³வ ப்³ரஹ்ம த்வம் வித்³தி⁴ நேத³ம் யதி³த³முபாஸதே ॥ 7 ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
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.

யச்ச்²ரோத்ரேண ந ஶ‍ருணோதி யேன ஶ்ரோத்ரமித³ம் ஶ்ருதம் ।
ததே³வ ப்³ரஹ்ம த்வம் வித்³தி⁴ நேத³ம் யதி³த³முபாஸதே ॥ 8 ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
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.

யத்ப்ராணேன ந ப்ராணிதி யேன ப்ராண: ப்ரணீயதே ।
ததே³வ ப்³ரஹ்ம த்வம் வித்³தி⁴ நேத³ம் யதி³த³முபாஸதே ॥ 9 ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
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.

॥ இதி கேனோபனிஷதி³ ப்ரத²ம: க²ண்ட:³ ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
Thus ends the first section of the Kena Upanishad.

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