Kena Upanishad 4.2
Kenopaniṣatpadabhāṣya 4.2
- Language
- Sanskrit
4.2
1.4.2
tasmādvā ete devā atitarāmivānyāndevānyadagnirvāyurindraste hyenannediṣṭha paspṛśuste hyenatprathamo vidāñcakāra brahmeti ||
touched It most proximately, and they knew It first as Brahman.
Since these gods—Fire, Air, and Indra—approached Brahman through conversation, visualisation, etc., tasmāt, therefore, ete devāḥ, these gods; atitarām iva, surpassed greatly, through their own excellence, i.e. good luck comprising power, quality, etc; anyān devān, the other gods. The word iva is meaningless or is used for the sake of emphasis. Yat agniḥ vāyuḥ indraḥ, (the gods) viz Fire, Air, and Indra. Hi, since; te they, those gods; nediṣṭham pasparśuḥ, most proximately, intimately, touched; enat, this Brahman; through the process of conversation etc., as described earlier. Hi, because, because of the further reason that; te, they; being prathamaḥ (should be prathamāḥ) first, being prominent; enat, this Brahman; vidāṁcakāra, (shoudl be vidāṁcakruḥ), knew, knew It to be Brahman.
Sā, She; uvāca ha, said, "Brahma iti, It was Brahman; Brahmaṇaḥ vai vijaye, in the victory of God, indeed. The devils were conquered only by God, and you were mere instruments there. In the victory that was really His, you mahīyadhvam, became elated, you attained glory." The word etat, in this way, is used adverbially (to modify the verb). "But yours is this vaingloriousness: 'Asmākam eva ayam vijayaḥ, asmākam eva ayam mahimā—ours is this victory, ours is this glory,' (Ke. III. 2). Tataḥ ha eva, from that, from Umā's words alone, to be sure; Indra, vidāñcakāra, learned; Brahma iti, that It was Brahman. The emphatic limitation implied in tataḥ ha eva, from that alone to be sure, implies that (he came to learn) not independently.
4.2.p1
tasmāt svairguṇaiḥ atitarāmiva śaktiguṇādimahābhāgyaiḥ anyān devān atitarām atiśerata iva ete devāḥ| iva śabdo'narthako'vadhāraṇārtho vā| yad agniḥ vāyuḥ indraḥ te hi devā yasmād
touched It most proximately, and they knew It first as Brahman.
Since these gods—Fire, Air, and Indra—approached Brahman through conversation, visualisation, etc., tasmāt, therefore, ete devāḥ, these gods; atitarām iva, surpassed greatly, through their own excellence, i.e. good luck comprising power, quality, etc; anyān devān, the other gods. The word iva is meaningless or is used for the sake of emphasis. Yat agniḥ vāyuḥ indraḥ, (the gods) viz Fire, Air, and Indra. Hi, since; te they, those gods; nediṣṭham pasparśuḥ, most proximately, intimately, touched; enat, this Brahman; through the process of conversation etc., as described earlier. Hi, because, because of the further reason that; te, they; being prathamaḥ (should be prathamāḥ) first, being prominent; enat, this Brahman; vidāṁcakāra, (shoudl be vidāṁcakruḥ), knew, knew It to be Brahman.
Translations (2)
- Eight Upaniṣads, with the Commentary of Śaṅkarācārya — Swami Gambhirananda 1957, English
- The Kena Upaniṣad and Śrī Śaṅkara's Commentary — S. Sitarama Sastri 1898, English
Linked texts (1)
- Kenopaniṣad — Sanskrit