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Kena Upanishad

Chapter 2

द्वितीयः खण्डः

Second Khanda

Verses

  1. Verse 1

    yadi manyase suvedeti daharamevāpi nūnaṃ tvaṃ vettha brahmaṇo rūpam | yadasya tvaṃ yadasya deveṣvatha nu mīmāṃsyameva te manye viditam || 1||

    Meaning

    If you think 'I know Brahman well,' then you know only its outer form, however little — that of it which is yours and that of it which is among the gods. So it must still be inquired into by you. — (The pupil:) 'I think it is (now) known.'

  2. Verse 2

    nāhaṃ manye suvedeti no na vedeti veda ca | yo nastadveda tadveda no na vedeti veda ca || 2||

    Meaning

    I do not think 'I know it well'; nor do I think 'I do not know' — I know, and I know not. He among us who understands that (saying), 'It is not unknown to me, and yet I do not (fully) know it' — he truly knows.

  3. Verse 3

    yasyāmataṃ tasya mataṃ mataṃ yasya na veda saḥ | avijñātaṃ vijānatāṃ vijñātamavijānatām || 3||

    Meaning

    He by whom It is not known (as an object), knows It; he by whom It is known (as an object), knows It not. It is unknown to those who (claim to) know, and known to those who know not.

  4. Verse 4

    pratibodhaviditaṃ matamamṛtatvaṃ hi vindate | ātmanā vindate vīryaṃ vidyayā vindate'mṛtam || 4||

    Meaning

    When It is known as the witness of every state of awareness (pratibodha-viditam), then It is truly known, for thereby one attains immortality. By one's own Self one gains strength, and by knowledge one gains immortality.

  5. Verse 5

    iha cedavedīdatha satyamasti na cedihāvedīnmahatī vinaṣṭiḥ | bhūteṣu bhūteṣu vicitya dhīrāḥ pretyāsmāllokādamṛtā bhavanti || 5||

    Meaning

    If one has realized It here (in this life), then there is true fulfilment; if one has not realized It here, great is the loss. Discerning (the Self) in every being, the wise depart from this world and become immortal.

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