Kena Upanishad - Part 3 - Odia

The third section of କେନୋପନିଷତ୍ teaches through narrative rather than pure abstraction. After declaring that Brahman is the source behind all faculties, the text now exposes a subtler obstacle: spiritual pride.

The gods win victory only through Brahman, but they mistake borrowed power for personal greatness. To correct this, Brahman appears as a mysterious ୟକ୍ଷ and quietly reveals the limits of even divine functions like fire and wind.

ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ହ ଦେଵେଭ୍ୟୋ ଵିଜିଗ୍ୟେ ତସ୍ୟ ହ ବ୍ରହ୍ମଣୋ ଵିଜୟେ ଦେଵା ଅମହୀୟଂତ ॥ 1॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
Brahman indeed won victory for the gods; yet in that victory of Brahman, the gods became self-glorifying.

ତ ଐକ୍ଷଂତାସ୍ମାକମେଵାୟଂ ଵିଜୟୋଽସ୍ମାକମେଵାୟଂ ମହିମେତି । ତଦ୍ଧୈଷାଂ ଵିଜଜ୍ଞୌ ତେଭ୍ୟୋ ହ ପ୍ରାଦୁର୍ବଭୂଵ ତନ୍ନ ଵ୍ୟଜାନତ କିମିଦଂ ୟକ୍ଷମିତି ॥ 2॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
They thought, "This victory is ours alone; this greatness is ours alone." Brahman understood this and appeared before them, but they did not recognize that mysterious presence, asking, "What is this yaksha?"

ତେଽଗ୍ନିମବ୍ରୁଵଂଜାତଵେଦ ଏତଦ୍ଵିଜାନୀହି କିମିଦଂ ୟକ୍ଷମିତି ତଥେତି ॥ 3॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
They said to Agni, "O Jataveda, find out what this mysterious being is." He replied, "So be it."

ତଦଭ୍ୟଦ୍ରଵତ୍ତମଭ୍ୟଵଦତ୍କୋଽସୀତ୍ୟଗ୍ନିର୍ଵା ଅହମସ୍ମୀତ୍ୟବ୍ରଵୀଜ୍ଜାତଵେଦା ଵା ଅହମସ୍ମୀତି ॥ 4॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
Agni approached it, and the being asked, "Who are you?" Agni replied, "I am Agni; I am Jataveda."

ତସ୍ମିନ୍ସ୍ତ୍ଵୟି କିଂ ଵୀର୍ୟମିତ୍ୟପୀଦꣳ ସର୍ଵଂ ଦହେୟଂ ୟଦିଦଂ ପୃଥିଵ୍ୟାମିତି ॥ 5॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
It asked, "What power is in you?" Agni said, "I can burn all this, whatever exists on earth."

ତସ୍ମୈ ତୃଣଂ ନିଦଧାଵେତଦ୍ଦହେତି । ତଦୁପପ୍ରେୟାୟ ସର୍ଵଜଵେନ ତନ୍ନ ଶଶାକ ଦଗ୍ଧୁଂ ସ ତତ ଏଵ ନିଵଵୃତେ ନୈତଦଶକଂ ଵିଜ୍ଞାତୁଂ ୟଦେତଦ୍ୟକ୍ଷମିତି ॥ 6॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
It placed a blade of grass before him and said, "Burn this." Agni rushed with full force, but could not burn it. He returned and said, "I could not determine what this yaksha is."

ଅଥ ଵାୟୁମବ୍ରୁଵନ୍ଵାୟଵେତଦ୍ଵିଜାନୀହି କିମେତଦ୍ୟକ୍ଷମିତି ତଥେତି ॥ 7॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
Then they said to Vayu, "O Vayu, find out what this yaksha is." He replied, "So be it."

ତଦଭ୍ୟଦ୍ରଵତ୍ତମଭ୍ୟଵଦତ୍କୋଽସୀତି ଵାୟୁର୍ଵା ଅହମସ୍ମୀତ୍ୟବ୍ରଵୀନ୍ମାତରିଶ୍ଵା ଵା ଅହମସ୍ମୀତି ॥ 8॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
Vayu approached it, and it asked, "Who are you?" He replied, "I am Vayu; I am Matarishva."

ତସ୍ମିନ୍ସ୍ତ୍ଵୟି କିଂ ଵୀର୍ୟମିତ୍ୟପୀଦଂ ସର୍ଵମାଦଦୀୟ ୟଦିଦଂ ପୃଥିଵ୍ୟାମିତି ॥ 9॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
It asked, "What power is in you?" Vayu replied, "I can sweep away or take up all this, whatever is on earth."

ତସ୍ମୈ ତୃଣଂ ନିଦଧାଵେତଦାଦତ୍ସ୍ଵେତି ତଦୁପପ୍ରେୟାୟ ସର୍ଵଜଵେନ ତନ୍ନ ଶଶାକାଦାତୁଂ ସ ତତ ଏଵ ନିଵଵୃତେ ନୈତଦଶକଂ ଵିଜ୍ଞାତୁଂ ୟଦେତଦ୍ୟକ୍ଷମିତି ॥ 10॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
It placed a blade of grass and said, "Take this up." Vayu rushed with all force but could not move it. He returned and said, "I could not determine what this yaksha is."

ଅଥେଂଦ୍ରମବ୍ରୁଵନ୍ମଘଵନ୍ନେତଦ୍ଵିଜାନୀହି କିମେତଦ୍ୟକ୍ଷମିତି ତଥେତି ତଦଭ୍ୟଦ୍ରଵତ୍ତସ୍ମାତ୍ତିରୋଦଧେ ॥ 11॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
Then they said to Indra, "O Maghavan, find out what this yaksha is." He agreed and approached it; but it vanished from before him.

ସ ତସ୍ମିନ୍ନେଵାକାଶେ ସ୍ତ୍ରିୟମାଜଗାମ ବହୁଶୋଭମାନାମୁମାଂ ହୈମଵତୀଂ ତାଗଂହୋଵାଚ କିମେତଦ୍ୟକ୍ଷମିତି ॥ 12॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
In that very space he encountered a radiant woman - Uma Haimavati - and asked her, "What was that yaksha?"

॥ ଇତି କେନୋପନିଷଦି ତୃତୀୟଃ ଖଂଡଃ ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
Thus ends the third section of the Kena Upanishad.

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