Kena Upanishad - Part 1 - Punjabi

ਕੇਨੋਪਨਿਸ਼ਤ੍, traditionally associated with the ਤਾਲਵਕਾਰ stream of the ਸਾਮਵੇਦ, is counted among the principal Upanishads studied in Vedanta. It is treated as foundational because it asks a radical question at the root of spiritual inquiry: not merely "what exists," but "by whose power do mind, speech, sight, hearing, and life-force function?"

This first part (ਪ੍ਰਥਮਃ ਖਂਡਃ) lays that foundation through direct questions and paradox-style answers. The movement is from instrument to source: from hearing to the hearer of hearing, from thinking to that by which thought itself is illumined.

Read these verses as a practice text, not only a philosophical text: hear (ਸ਼੍ਰਵਣ), reflect (ਮਨਨ), and internalize (ਨਿਦਿਧ੍ਯਾਸਨ) until awareness is recognized as prior to every changing thought and perception.

॥ ਅਥ ਕੇਨੋਪਨਿਸ਼ਤ੍ ॥

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
Now begins the Kena Upanishad, the inquiry into the ultimate source behind all faculties.

ਓਂ ਸ@ਹ ਨਾ#ਵਵਤੁ । ਸ@ਹ ਨੌ# ਭੁਨਕ੍ਤੁ । ਸ@ਹ ਵੀ@ਰ੍ਯ#ਂ ਕਰਵਾਵਹੈ । ਤੇ@ਜ@ਸ੍ਵਿਨਾ@ਵਧੀ#ਤਮਸ੍ਤੁ@ ਮਾ ਵਿ#ਦ੍ਵਿਸ਼ਾ@ਵਹੈ$ ।

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
May the Lord protect us both. May He nourish us both. May we strive together with strength. May our study be radiant and fruitful. May we never be hostile to one another.

ਓਂ ਸ਼ਾਂਤਿ@ਃ ਸ਼ਾਂਤਿ@ਃ ਸ਼ਾਂਤਿ#ਃ ॥

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
Om. Peace, peace, peace.

ਓਂ ਆਪ੍ਯਾਯਂਤੁ ਮਮਾਂਗਾਨਿ ਵਾਕ੍ਪ੍ਰਾਣਸ਼੍ਚਕ੍ਸ਼ੁਃ ਸ਼੍ਰੋਤ੍ਰਮਥੋ ਬਲਮਿਂਦ੍ਰਿਯਾਣਿ ਚ ਸਰ੍ਵਾਣਿ । ਸਰ੍ਵਂ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮੌਪਨਿਸ਼ਦਂ ਮਾ਽ਹਂ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮ ਨਿਰਾਕੁਰ੍ਯਾਂ ਮਾ ਮਾ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮ ਨਿਰਾਕਰੋਦਨਿਰਾਕਰਣਮਸ੍ਤ੍ਵਨਿਰਾਕਰਣਂ ਮੇ਽ਸ੍ਤੁ । ਤਦਾਤ੍ਮਨਿ ਨਿਰਤੇ ਯ ਉਪਨਿਸ਼ਤ੍ਸੁ ਧਰ੍ਮਾਸ੍ਤੇ ਮਯਿ ਸਂਤੁ ਤੇ ਮਯਿ ਸਂਤੁ ।

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
May my limbs, speech, life-force, eyes, ears, strength, and all faculties be nourished. May I recognize everything as Brahman as taught in the Upanishads. May I never reject Brahman, and may Brahman never be hidden from me. May the disciplines taught in the Upanishads abide in me who is devoted to the Self.

ਓਂ ਸ਼ਾਂਤਿ@ਃ ਸ਼ਾਂਤਿ@ਃ ਸ਼ਾਂਤਿ#ਃ ॥

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
Om. Peace, peace, peace.

ਕੇਨੇਸ਼ਿਤਂ ਪਤਤਿ ਪ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਿਤਂ ਮਨਃ
ਕੇਨ ਪ੍ਰਾਣਃ ਪ੍ਰਥਮਃ ਪ੍ਰੈਤਿ ਯੁਕ੍ਤਃ ।
ਕੇਨੇਸ਼ਿਤਾਂ ਵਾਚਮਿਮਾਂ ਵਦਂਤਿ
ਚਕ੍ਸ਼ੁਃ ਸ਼੍ਰੋਤ੍ਰਂ ਕ ਉ ਦੇਵੋ ਯੁਨਕ੍ਤਿ ॥ 1 ॥

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
By whose will does the mind go toward its objects? Directed by whom does the life-force function? By whose power do people speak, and what divinity connects the eye and ear to their functions?

ਸ਼੍ਰੋਤ੍ਰਸ੍ਯ ਸ਼੍ਰੋਤ੍ਰਂ ਮਨਸੋ ਮਨੋ ਯਦ੍
ਵਾਚੋ ਹ ਵਾਚਂ ਸ ਉ ਪ੍ਰਾਣਸ੍ਯ ਪ੍ਰਾਣਃ ।
ਚਕ੍ਸ਼ੁਸ਼ਸ਼੍ਚਕ੍ਸ਼ੁਰਤਿਮੁਚ੍ਯ ਧੀਰਾਃ
ਪ੍ਰੇਤ੍ਯਾਸ੍ਮਾਲ੍ਲੋਕਾਦਮ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਤਾ ਭਵਂਤਿ ॥ 2 ॥

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
That which is the hearing in hearing, the thinking in thought, the speech in speech, the life in life-force, and the seeing in sight - realizing that, the wise go beyond limited identification and attain immortality.

ਨ ਤਤ੍ਰ ਚਕ੍ਸ਼ੁਰ੍ਗਚ੍ਛਤਿ ਨ ਵਾਗ੍ਗਚ੍ਛਤਿ ਨੋ ਮਨਃ ।
ਨ ਵਿਦ੍ਮੋ ਨ ਵਿਜਾਨੀਮੋ ਯਥੈਤਦਨੁਸ਼ਿਸ਼੍ਯਾਤ੍ ॥ 3 ॥

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
There the eye does not reach, nor speech, nor mind. We do not know it in the usual way, nor how to instruct it as one instructs an object.

ਅਨ੍ਯਦੇਵ ਤਦ੍ਵਿਦਿਤਾਦਥੋ ਅਵਿਦਿਤਾਦਧਿ ।
ਇਤਿ ਸ਼ੁਸ਼੍ਰੁਮ ਪੂਰ੍ਵੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਯੇ ਨਸ੍ਤਦ੍ਵ੍ਯਾਚਚਕ੍ਸ਼ਿਰੇ ॥ 4 ॥

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
It is indeed other than the known, and beyond the unknown as well. So have we heard from the ancient teachers who explained this to us.

ਯਦ੍ਵਾਚਾ਽ਨਭ੍ਯੁਦਿਤਂ ਯੇਨ ਵਾਗਭ੍ਯੁਦ੍ਯਤੇ ।
ਤਦੇਵ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮ ਤ੍ਵਂ ਵਿਦ੍ਧਿ ਨੇਦਂ ਯਦਿਦਮੁਪਾਸਤੇ ॥ 5 ॥

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
That which speech cannot reveal, but by which speech itself is made possible - know that alone to be Brahman, not this limited object people take as ultimate.

ਯਨ੍ਮਨਸਾ ਨ ਮਨੁਤੇ ਯੇਨਾਹੁਰ੍ਮਨੋ ਮਤਮ੍ ।
ਤਦੇਵ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮ ਤ੍ਵਂ ਵਿਦ੍ਧਿ ਨੇਦਂ ਯਦਿਦਮੁਪਾਸਤੇ ॥ 6 ॥

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
That which the mind cannot grasp as an object, but by which the mind itself is illumined - know that alone as Brahman, not this limited object of worship.

ਯਚ੍ਚਕ੍ਸ਼ੁਸ਼ਾ ਨ ਪਸ਼੍ਯਤਿ ਯੇਨ ਚਕ੍ਸ਼ੂਂਸ਼ਿ ਪਸ਼੍ਯਤਿ ।
ਤਦੇਵ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮ ਤ੍ਵਂ ਵਿਦ੍ਧਿ ਨੇਦਂ ਯਦਿਦਮੁਪਾਸਤੇ ॥ 7 ॥

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
That which the eyes cannot see, but by which the eyes gain their power of seeing - know that alone as Brahman, not this limited object people treat as absolute.

ਯਚ੍ਛ੍ਰੋਤ੍ਰੇਣ ਨ ਸ਼‍ਰੁਰੁਇਣੋਤਿ ਯੇਨ ਸ਼੍ਰੋਤ੍ਰਮਿਦਂ ਸ਼੍ਰੁਤਮ੍ ।
ਤਦੇਵ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮ ਤ੍ਵਂ ਵਿਦ੍ਧਿ ਨੇਦਂ ਯਦਿਦਮੁਪਾਸਤੇ ॥ 8 ॥

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
That which the ear cannot hear, but by which hearing itself takes place - know that alone as Brahman, not this limited object taken as ultimate.

ਯਤ੍ਪ੍ਰਾਣੇਨ ਨ ਪ੍ਰਾਣਿਤਿ ਯੇਨ ਪ੍ਰਾਣਃ ਪ੍ਰਣੀਯਤੇ ।
ਤਦੇਵ ਬ੍ਰਹ੍ਮ ਤ੍ਵਂ ਵਿਦ੍ਧਿ ਨੇਦਂ ਯਦਿਦਮੁਪਾਸਤੇ ॥ 9 ॥

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
That which is not animated by the life-force, but by which the life-force itself is impelled - know that alone as Brahman, not this limited object taken as final reality.

॥ ਇਤਿ ਕੇਨੋਪਨਿਸ਼ਦਿ ਪ੍ਰਥਮਃ ਖਂਡਃ ॥

Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
Thus ends the first section of the Kena Upanishad.

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