KENO UPANISHAD
Index
S.No Chapter No. of Verses Page No
1 Chapter 1 8 1
2 Chapter 2 5 5
3 Chapter 3 12 6
4 Chapter 4 9 11
Total 34
i
Chapter 1 - Verse 1
Disciple : By whom willed and directed does the mind light upon its objects? Commanded by
whom does the main Vital Air (Prana) proceed to function? By whose will do men utter peech?
What intelligence directs the eyes and the ears (towards their respective objects)?
Chapter 1 - Verse 2
Preceptor : It is the Ear of the Ear, the Mind of the Mind, the Tongue of the Tongue (Speech of
the Speech) and also the Life of the Life and the Eye of the Eye. Having abandoned the sense
of Self or I-ness in these and rising above sense-life, the wise become Immortal.
1
Chapter 1 - Verse 3
The eye does not go there, not speech, nor mind, We do not know That. We do not know how
to instruct one about It. It is distinct from the known and above the unknown. We have heard
it, so stated the preceptors who taught us That.
Chapter 1 - Verse 4
What speech cannot reveal, but what reveals speech, know That alone as Brahman and not
this, that people worship here.
2
Chapter 1 - Verse 5
What one cannot feel with the mind, but because of which they say that the mind feels… know
That alone as Brahman and not this, which people do worship here.
Chapter 1 - Verse 6
What cannot be seen by the eye, but by which the eyes are able to see… Know That alone as
Brahman and not this, which people do worship here.
Chapter 1 - Verse 7
What cannot be heard by the ear, but by which the ears are able to hear… know That as
Brahman and not this, which people here do worship.
3
Chapter 1 - Verse 8
That which one breathes not with his breath, but by which breath is breathed… know That to
be Brahman and not this, which people do worship here.
Chapter 2 - Verse 1
The preceptor here hastens to warn his disciple : “If you think, ‘I Knew well’, it is certainly but
little – the form of the Brahman you have known is also the form of the Deva-s. Therefore, I
think that what thou thickest is still to be ascertained.”
Chapter 2 - Verse 2
I do not think that ‘I know it well.’ But not that I do not know; I know too. Who amongst us
comprehends it both as the Not known and as the Known… He comprehends It.
4
Chapter 2 - Verse 3
He understands It who comprehends It not; and he understands It not, who feels he has
comprehended It. It is the unknown to the Master of True Knowledge but to the ignorant It is
the known.
Chapter 2 - Verse 4
Indeed, he attains immortality, who intuits It in and through every modification of the mind.
Through the Atman he obtains real strength, and through Knowledge, immortality.
Chapter 2 - Verse 5
If one Knows (That Brahman) here, in this world, then the true end of all human aspirations is
gained. If one knows not (That) here, great is the destruction. The wise, seeing the one Atman
in all beings, rise from sense-life and become immortal. 5
Chapter 3 - Verse 1
Preceptor : It is said that Brahman once won a victory for the Gods (over the demons). Though
the victory was due to Brahman the Gods became elated by It, and thought : To us belongs the
victory, to us belongs glory.
Chapter 3 - Verse 2
Brahman, knowing their vanity, appeared before them; but they did not understand who that
Adorable Spirit was.
Chapter 3 - Verse 3
They said to Agni thus : ‘Oh Jataveda! (All-knower) find out what this Great Spirit is.’ He
agreed. 6
Chapter 3 - Verse 4
Agni hastened to the Spirit. The Spirit asked him who he was and Agni replied, ‘Verily I am
Agni, the Omniscient.
Chapter 3 - Verse 5
He (Brahman), in the form of Yaksa, asked him : ‘What power hast thou, who art of such a
nature?’ Agni replied, ‘I can even burn whatsoever there is on Earth.’
7
Chapter 3 - Verse 6
He, Brahman placed a blade of grass before him saying, “Burn it!” Agni dashed at it with all his
power. He could not burn it. So he returned to the Gods saying, “I could not find out who that
Adorable Spirit was”.
Chapter 3 - Verse 7
The Deva-s then said to Vayu (wind). ‘Oh! Lord of the winds, find out who this Adorable Spirit
is.’ He agreed.
8
Chapter 3 - Verse 8
Vayu hastened to the Spirit. The Spirit asked him who he was, and Vayu replied, I am Vayu, I
am really Matarisva (The Trodder of the Skies).
Chapter 3 - Verse 9
What power resides in thee, why art thou of such a nature? Asked the Spirit. Why, I can blow
away everything whatever there is on Earth, said Vayu.
9
Chapter 3 - Verse 10
The Yaksa placed a blade of grass before him saying, Blow this away. He approached it with all
his power but was not able to move it. So he returned to the Gods and reported, I could not
find out who that great spirit was.
Chapter 3 - Verse 11
Then the Gods said to Indra, ‘the Chief of Gods. Oh! Maghavan! (worshipful, or the possessor
of great wealth and power) find out who that Adorable Spirit is. He agreed and hastened
towards the Spirit, but the Spirit disappeared from his view.
10
Chapter 3 - Verse 12
And in that very spot he beheld a woman. Uma the damsel fair – the daughter of the snowy
mountain Himavan. He asked her who this Adorable Spirit could be?
Chapter 4 - Verse 1
Preceptor : Brahman! She exclaimed, indeed, through Brahman’s victory have you gained
greatness! Then alone he understood that the Adorable spirit (Yaksa) was Brahman.
11
Chapter 4 - Verse 2
Therefore, verily, these Gods (Agni, Vayu and Indra) excel the other Gods; for they approached
the Spirit (the manifestation of the Supreme) the nearest and they were the first to know Him
as Brahman.
Chapter 4 - Verse 3
And therefore, indeed, Indra excels other Gods; for he approached the Spirit nearest and he
was the first to know him as Brahman.
12
Chapter 4 - Verse 4
This is the description of Brahman (description by means of an illustration); He shone forth like
the splendor of the lightning; He disappeared within the twinkling of the eye. This is the
comparison of the Brahman with reference to the Deva-s. (His manifestation as Cosmic
powers).
Chapter 4 - Verse 5
Now as regards this description from the point of view of His manifestation as Atman within
the body – as one thinks of Brahman by the mind and a speedily as the mind wills.
13
Chapter 4 - Verse 6
Brahman is well known as Tadvanam, the One who is to be worshipped as the Atman of all
living beings. So it is to be meditated upon as Tadvana. All love him who know it thus.
Chapter 4 - Verse 7
Disciple : Sir, teach me the Saving knowledge. Preceptor : The saving knowledge has been
imparted to you. Verily, we have imparted the Saving knowledge of Brahman to you.
Chapter 4 - Verse 8
Austerity, restraint and dedicated work – these are the foundations of It – the Saving
Knowledge of the Upanishad-s. The Veda-s are its limb and truth is its abode.
14
Chapter 4 - Verse 9
Verily he who knows it thus, destroys sin and is established in Brahman, the boundless, the
highest and the blissful… Yes, he is established in it.
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