Kena Upanishad 3.1

3.1

ddaśyante|
athavā brahmavidyāyāḥ stutaye| katham? brahmavijñānāddhi agnyādayo devā devānāṃ śreṣṭhatvaṃ jagmuḥ tato'pyatitarāmindra iti|
athavā durvijñeyaṃ brahmetyetat bradarśyate--yenāgnyādayo'titejaso'pi kleśenaiva brahma viditavantastathendro devānāmīśvaro'pi sanniti|
vakṣyamāṇopaniṣadvidhiparaṃ vā sarvaṃ brahmavidyāvyatirekeṇa prāṇināṃ kartṛtvabhoktṛtvādyabhimāno mithyā ityetaddarśanārthaṃ vā ākhyāyikā, yathā devānāṃ jayādyabhimānaḥ tadvaditi|
1.3.1
brahma ha devebhyo vijigye tasya ha brahmaṇo vijaye devā amahīyanta ||

After hearing the text, "unknown to those who know well, and known to those who do not know" etc. (Ke. II. 3), some people of dull intellect may have this kind of delusion: "It is seen that whatever exists is known through the valid means of cognition; and whatever does not exist remains unknown, is like the horns of a hare, and is absolutely non-existent. Similarly, this Brahman, being unknown, is certainly non-existent"; lest there be this delusion, this story is begun. For the subsequent passages are seen to be leading to this conclusion: "Since that very Brahman is the ruler in every way, the supreme Deity of even the deities, the supreme Lord over the lordly beings, inscrutable, the cause of victory of the gods, and the cause of the defeat of the devils, therefore, how can It be non-existent?" Or the story is meant to eulogise the knowledge of Brahman. How? By saying that it was surely by virtue of the knowledge of Brahman, that Fire and other gods attained supremacy over the gods, and Indra got greater pre-eminence still. Or (through the story) it is shown that Brahman is inscrutable, inasmuch as Fire and others, powerful though they are, knew Brahman with sheer difficulty, and so also did Indra, even though he is the ruler of the gods. Or the whole thing is meant to enjoin an injunction regarding the secret teachings (about meditations) that will followfootnote{"The realisation of the Self as Brahman, which is meant for the most advanced ones and which is not an object of knowledge, has been spoken of earlier. Later will be stated the meditation on the qualified Brahman which is for the less advanced people. The following passages present that meditation, for the injunction for it is clearly to be seen (in IV. 6-7). So the real significance lies in this. As for the other interpretations (advanced by Śaṅkara), they are merely by way of showing possibilities."—A.G.} (Ke. IV. 4-7). Or the story is meant to show that apart from the knowledge of Brahman all notions of agentship etc. that creatures possess, as for instance the conceit of the gods with regard to victory etc., are false.

Brahman, the supreme Brahman already spoken of; ha, verily; devebhyaḥ, for the sake of the gods; vijigye, achieved victory. In a fight between the gods and the devils, Brahman, after conquering the devils, the enemies of the world and transgressors of divine rules, gave to the gods the victory and its results for ensuring the stability of the world. Tasya ha Brahmaṇaḥ vijaye, in that victory which was, indeed, Brahman's; devāḥ the gods, Fire etc.; amahīyanta, became elated.

Brahman, the supreme Brahman already spoken of; ha, verily; devebhyaḥ, for the sake of the gods; vijigye, achieved victory. In a fight between the gods and the devils, Brahman, after conquering the devils, the enemies of the world and transgressors of divine rules, gave to the gods the victory and its results for ensuring the stability of the world. Tasya ha Brahmaṇaḥ vijaye, in that victory which was, indeed, Brahman's; devāḥ the gods, Fire etc.; amahīyanta, became elated.