Kena Upanishad - Part 3 - English

It is said that Brahman once helped the gods by vanquishing the demons. The gods thought that they had won the victory themselves, and the credit was theirs.

ta aikṣantāsmākamēvāyaṃ vijayō'smākamēvāyaṃ mahimēti । taddhaiṣāṃ vijajñau tēbhyō ha prādurbabhūva tanna vyajānata kimidaṃ yakṣamiti ॥ 2॥

Brahman knew their vain thoughts and appeared before them.
But the gods did not understand who this adorable Spirit was.

tē'gnimabruvañjātavēda ētadvijānīhi kimidaṃ yakṣamiti tathēti ॥ 3॥

The gods asked Agni to find out who the adorabale Spirit was, and Agni agreed.

tadabhyadravattamabhyavadatkō'sītyagnirvā ahamasmītyabravījjātavēdā vā ahamasmīti ॥ 4॥

Agni went to the Spirit, who asked him who he was. Agni replied, "I am Agni, the All-Knowing from birth"

tasminstvayi kiṃ vīryamityapīdaꣳ sarvaṃ dahēyaṃ yadidaṃ pṛthivyāmiti ॥ 5॥

The Spirit asked Agni what power he possessed. Agni said he could burn up whatever there was on earth.

tasmai tṛṇaṃ nidadhāvētaddahēti । tadupaprēyāya sarvajavēna tanna śaśāka dagdhuṃ sa tata ēva nivavṛtē naitadaśakaṃ vijñātuṃ yadētadyakṣamiti ॥ 6॥

The Spirit placed a straw before him and said "Burn it". Agni strived with all his might but failed. He returned to the Gods and said he could not find out who that adorable Spirit was.

atha vāyumabruvanvāyavētadvijānīhi kimētadyakṣamiti tathēti ॥ 7॥

Then the gods said to Vayu, "O Vayu, find out who this adorable Spirit is" . Vayu agreed.

tadabhyadravattamabhyavadatkō'sīti vāyurvā ahamasmītyabravīnmātariśvā vā ahamasmīti ॥ 8॥

Vayu went before the Spirit who asked him who he was. Vayu replied that he was Vayu, the king of the air.

tasminstvayi kiṃ vīryamityapīdaṃ sarvamādadīya yadidaṃ pṛthivyāmiti ॥ 9॥

The Spirit asked what power he possessed, and Vayu replied that he could blow away anything on earth.

tasmai tṛṇaṃ nidadhāvētadādatsvēti tadupaprēyāya sarvajavēna tanna śaśākādātuṃ sa tata ēva nivavṛtē naitadaśakaṃ vijñātuṃ yadētadyakṣamiti ॥ 10॥

The Spirit placed a straw before Vayu and asked him to blow it away. Vayu tried but failed. He returned to the gods and said he could not find out who the adorable Spirit was.

athēndramabruvanmaghavannētadvijānīhi kimētadyakṣamiti tathēti tadabhyadravattasmāttirōdadhē ॥ 11॥

Then the gods said to Indra, the chief of the gods, "O Meghavan, find out who this adorable Spirit is". Indra agreed and went to see the Spirit. But the Spirit disappeared from view.

sa tasminnēvākāśē striyamājagāma bahuśōbhamānāmumāṃ haimavatīṃ tāgṃhōvācha kimētadyakṣamiti ॥ 12॥

At that spot, he found Uma, the beautiful daughter of the Mountain Himavat. He asked her "Who was this adorable Spirit?"

॥ iti kēnōpaniṣadi tṛtīyaḥ khaṇḍaḥ ॥

Thus ends the third part of kēnōpaniṣad.

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