Kena Upanishad

 

Kena” = “by whom” is the opening word.  i.e. by whom is the world stirred into life?

 

Summary

§1

Who makes me think, speak, see and hear?  It is Brahman, which is not susceptible to perception by any of the senses, but is part of you.  

[This section seems to be question and answer.]

§2

It is possible to have some conception of Brahman; but the full nature of Brahman is such that complete knowledge of Brahman cannot be grasped.  The person who does come to know Brahman comes to know Reality and gains immortality.

[This section seems to be the discourse of a teacher to a pupil.]

 

§3

Brahman won the victory [over the demons] for the gods, but they thought it was they who had won.  When Brahman appeared before them they all (even Agni, Vayu and Indra) failed to recognise it.

[A parable, showing how ineffable and incomprehensible Brahman is.]

 

§4

Uma, goddess of Wisdom explained that what they had seen was Brahman.  The power of Brahman is both outside us and inside us.  It is the power of Brahman that enables us to see, hear and think.  Through meditation we can gain the heightened wisdom that enables us to perceive Brahman.

[Draws together the parable and the teacher’s exposition.]

 

 

Notes

1. Easwaran talks about “the Self” but in fact the Sanskrit text  just talks about Brahman.

2. Easwaran, pp. 66-67, says - note that Uma appears only to Indra.  Uma’s message is that even the gods achieve nothing except when Brahman is working through them.  “The victory of good over evil is guaranteed—but not by the doer.  We cannot win that victory, but we can make ourselves instruments of it.”  So the opening question is answered.  Brahman is the prime moving force.