Kena Upanishad translation
Chapter 1 – Translation
keneṣitaṃ preṣitaṃ manaḥ kena prāṇaḥ prathamaḥ praiti yuktaḥ | keneṣitāṃ vācamimāṃ vadanti cakṣuḥ śrotraṃ ka u devo yunakti || 1 ||
kena + eSha + itam = by what / whence / how + seeking (thought) + hence forth / from this point pre + eSha + itam = to go on / begin + seeking (thought) + hence forth / from this point manah = mind
kena = how pranah = breath prathamah = beginning praiti = come forth yuktah = connected / set to work / engaged in /harnessed
kena + eSha + itam = by what + seeking (thought) + hence forth / from this point vaca + imam = speech + this vadanti = to speak
caksuh = to see – eye srotram = to hear – ear ka = what u = oh devo = deva – guards yunakti = apply / use / harness / set to work
how seeking from which point being seeking hence forth mind
how breath begins to come forth connected to the mind
how seeking from which point this speech to speak
eyes to see, ears to hear what oh deva use?
So, translating it…
how to seek henceforth, beginning the seeking from which point of the mind, how connected to breath will the beginning come forth? By speaking what from this point using what to see or what to hear o deva can we find the brahman?
By what thought henceforth begin thought from this mind
how breath first came forth connected
by what thought hencefortm speech this to speak
to see, to hear oh deva to use
Rewriting it some more…
How can we start seeking the truth? By what can we even start knowing it? Using what can we see, hear or breath it?
By what thought began the thoughts in this mind? How did the breath come forth to be in control? By what thought began this speech that we speak? What thought controls the the eye or the ears?
śrotrasya śrotraṃ manaso mano yad vāco ha vācaṃ sa u prāṇasya prāṇaḥ | cakṣuṣaścakṣuratimucya dhīrāḥ pretyāsmāllokādamṛtā bhavanti || 2 ||
srotra + asya = by ear srotram = is heard manah + aso = by mind mano = think yad = what
vaco = by language ha = is vacam = speech sa = also u = oh pranasya = by breath pranah = is spirit
caksasya + caksu + iti + ucchate = by sight + is seeing + this + is said dhirah = of intelligence / of persistence / steady /firm / consistently
pretya + asma + la + lokad + amrta = after death / hereafter / in the next world / subsequently + me + taking / embracing / giving / cutting + in this world + eternity / imperishable bhavanti = they are / is present / exist
srotrasya srotram manah mano vaco vacam sa pranasya pranah caksasyascaksuratimucya yad dhirah la lokad pretyasama amrta bhavanti
it is said by ear we hear, by mind we think, by speech we speak, by eyes we see and by breath there is spirit. I, embracing what in this world thereafter imperishable exists steadily
what perisistent hereafter formed taking world imperishable is present
>>> It is said by ear we hear, by mind we think, by language we speak, and due to breath we have spirit, by eye we see. The wise, after death taking what from the world is eternity formed?
na tatra cakṣurgacchati na vāggacchati no manaḥ | na vidmo na vijānīmo yathaitadanuśiṣyāt || 3 ||
na = not tatra = that cakshur + gacchati = eye + acquire na = not vag + gacchati = speech + acquire no = nor manah = mind
na = not vidmo = wisdom na = not vijanimo = vijana – a man mo?? yatha + ita + anusiShya + yat = who / which + it + having ruled / ordered + how or yatha + ita + anu + shiShya + yat = who / which + it + then + study + this
The eye cannot acquire it, the speech cannot acquire it neither can the mind nor wisdom nor a person, who then can study this?
OR in the current terms:
>>> Images cannot capture it, words cannot describe it, mind cannot grasp it nor can wisdom understand it. Then who or how can this be studied?
‘The eye cannot approach It, neither speech, nor mind. We do not therefore know It, nor do we know how to teach It.’
anyadeva tadvitādatho aviditādadhi | itiśuśruma pūrveṣāṃ ye nastadvyācacakṣire || 4 ||
anyad + eva = some other / different + this tad + dvitAd + atho = then + twofold / certainly (if we add dvitA) + therefore avidita + adadhi = unknown + to obtain
iti + shuSruma = this + who has heard purva + esam = prior / first / previous + seeking / going after ye = they na + astad + vyacaksha + cakshire = not + at death / end / vanish + explain + to tell / to see,
this some other therefore is certainly unknown to obtain previously have gone after this who has heard not at end explain and tell
OR in the current terms:
>>> This is some other therefore certainly unknown to get. Those who previously have gone after this at the end cannot explain or tell about it.
yadvācā'nabhyuditaṃ yena vāgabhyudyate | tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate || 5 ||
yad + vaca = when spoken na + abyuditam = not + expressed in words yena = that which vag + abhyudyate = speech + expressed is
tad + eva = that + is brahma = ultimate truth tvam = you viddhi = know na + idam = not + this yad + idam + upasate = that you have worshipped
>>> With speech what you cannot express, but that which is expressed speech, know that to be the truth. Not that which you imagine.
yanmanasā na manute yenāhurmano matam | tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate || 6 ||
>>> That which the mind cannot think, but that which is the mind, know that to be the ultimate truth and not that which you have imagined.
yaccakṣuṣā na paśyati yena cakṣūṃṣi paśyati | tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate || 7 ||
yad + caksusa = with eye na = not pasyati = visible yena = that which caksumsi = is eye pasyati = visible
>>> That which is not visible to the eye but that to which the eye is visible, know that to be the truth, not that which you have imagined.
yacchrotreṇa na śṛṇoti yena śrotramidaṃ śrutam | tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate || 8 ||
‘What hearing fails to hear, but what hears hearing— know thou That alone as Brahman, and not this that people worship here.’
yatprāṇena na prāṇiti yena prāṇaḥ praṇīyate | tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi nedaṃ yadidamupāsate || 9 ||
‘What smell does not reveal, but what reveals smell— know thou That alone as Brahman, and not this that people worship here.’
Chapter 2 – Translation
yadi manyase suvedeti daharamevāpi nūnam tvaṃ vettha brahmaṇo rūpam | yadasya tvaṃ yadasya deveṣvatha nu mīmāṃsyemeva te manye viditam || 1 ||
yadi tvam manyase suvedeti brahmano rupam nunam daharaevapi vettha
yadasya tvam mimamsyemeva yadasya devesvatha nu te manye viditam
yadi = if manas + se = intelligence + with suveda + iti = try having knowledge / su + veda (to go (force) + know – hence become imagine) + of this daharam + api = little + even
nu + nam = to you + not tvam = your vettha = is known brahmano = of brahman rupam = form
yad + asya = that + is tvam = to you yadasya = if you deva + eSha + atha = protectors + seeking (thought) + then / instead / else nu = to you
mImamsa + yema + eva = reflection + path / course / way + indeed / truly / really te = your mana + ye = mind + your viditam = will apprised / enlightened / illuminated
deva — protectors (intead of gods – from aitreya upanishad) or senses??? –
if you reflect way truly that is protector thoughts then to you your mind will be known
if you reflect truly upon the guards of thoughts then to you, your mind will be known
if you with manas you imagine a form for truth, to you not even little will be known, if you reflect truly upon the guards of your thoughts then to you, your mind will be known
if you with intelligence try have knowledge of the form of brahma, to you not even little is known
if you reflecting upon your mind seek god, then to you, will be known
OR in current terms
>>> If you try to know this by applying intelligence of the mind to give a form for the truth, you will know little of it, but if you reflect upon your mind trying to find the truth, then it will be known
nāhaṃ manye suvedeti no na vedeti veda ca | yo nastadveda tadveda no na vedeti veda ca || 2 ||
na + iham = not + this manye = your + mind suveda + iti = having knowledge this no = is na = not veda + iti = knowledge of this veda = know ca = also
yo = or na + asta + veda = not + end / vanish + know tad + veda = your + know no = is na = not veda + iti = knowledge of this veda = know ca = also
not this your mind having knowledge this is not knowledge of this known also
or not end know your knowledge is knowledge of this known also
OR in current form:
This cannot be known by your mind either by your mind having knowledge or by removing knowledge from your mind
OR simply
>>> This cannot be known by your mind even if your mind is intelligent or if your mind is ignorant
yasyāmataṃ tasya mataṃ mataṃ yasya na veda saḥ | avijñātaṃ vijānatāṃ vijñātamavijānatām || 3 ||
yasya + matam = ending + thought tasya = of that matam = thought / belief / imagination ya + asya = to him na = not veda = know sah = that
avijnatam = without knowing / unknown / unaware vijanatam = to the clever vijnatam + avijanatam = known + ignorant
>>> That is not known by ending thought of that. Unknown to the clever, known to the ignorant
pratibodhaviditam matam amṛtatvam hi vindate | ātmanā vindate vīryam vidyayā vindate amṛtam || 4 ||
pratibodha + viditam = perception + knowledge of / knowing matam = thought amrta + tatvam = imperishable + concept hi = only vindate = to get / experience / to find / exist
atmana = the self vindate = get / experience/ find / exist viryam = energy vidya + ya = of gaining / recognize / observe / notice vindate = exist amrtam = imperishable
atmana vidyaya viryam matam pratibodhaviditam amrtam vindate amrtam hi amrtatvam vidante
OR
atmana vidyaya viryam vindante hi matam amrtatvam vindante pratibodhaviditam amrtam vindate
Only because the self recognizes that energy exists, the thought of knowing imperishable exists and perception of imperishable truth exists
perception knows thought imperishable by you only experience
the self exist energy observe exist imperishable
only because you perceive thoughts you want to experience imperishability only because the self experiences energy
OR in current terms:
>>> Only because you know perception of thought do you want to experience imperishability. The self experiences imperishability because of gaining energy
iha cedavedīt atha satyamasti na cedihāvedīt mahatī vinaṣhTiḥ | bhūteṣu bhūteṣu vicitya dhīrāḥ pretyāsmāt lokāt amṛtā bhavanti || 5 ||
iha = this ceda + vedit = if + is known atha = then / now / else satyam + asti = truth / truly / indeed + existent / present na = not ceda + iha + vedit = if + this + is known mahati = abundant / many/ great numerous vinaShTi = destruction / diappearance / ruin / loss
bhuta + eSha = that which exists + wish / desires vicitya = to be sifted / isolated / removing dhirah = intelligent / wise (firm / persistent) pretya + asmat = after death / hereafter/ having died / in next world + this lokat = in world will amrta = imperishable bhavanti = is present
pretyasmat dhirah bhuteshu vicitya mahati bhuteshu vinashTih , iha cedavedit pretyasmat amrta satyamasti atha na cedihavedit lokat bhavanti
After isolating with persistence existing wishes the numerous existing wishes hereafter disappear, this is known then imperishable truth exists, else if not known then is present in world
(If instead of wishes we put it as thoughts)
>>>> After steadily isolating existing thoughts the numerous existing thoughts disappear, this, if known, then, thereafter imperishable truth exists, else if this is not known will exist still in this world
>>> The wise isolating every single existing desire in this world become imperishable after death. If this is known, truth exists else if not known, great destruction exists.
