Kena Upaniṣad – Knowing the Unknowable (Introduction and Invocation)

INTRODUCTION

The Kena Upaniṣad is connected to the Talavakāra Brāhmaṇa of the Sāma Veda; hence, it is sometimes referred to as the Talavakāra Upaniṣad. However, it is more commonly known as the Kena Upaniṣad because it begins with the Sanskrit word kena (‘by whom’). Despite its brevity, the Kena Upaniṣad is regarded as one of the most important among the ten principal Upaniṣads, as it explains the mystical nature of the Absolute. Ādi Śaṅkara, the great monistic philosopher of India, considered this text so important that he composed two commentaries on it – the Kena Upaniṣad Pada Bhāṣya and the Kena Upaniṣad Vākya Bhāṣya.

The text is divided into four chapters that convey three main points: firstly, that the Supreme is the controller of all things (sarva-prerakatva); secondly, that He is superior to all others (sarvottamatva); and thirdly, that He cannot be fully understood (sakalyena avedyatva). The third and fourth chapters also contain a narrative describing how the Supreme Lord subdued the pride of the demigods and how Goddess Umā helped Indra realise the superior nature of the Absolute Truth.

The Kena Upaniṣad begins in the form of a dialogue that most commentators believe takes place between an unspecified teacher and student. However, the Vaiṣṇava philosopher Śrī Madhvācārya, quoting an ancient text known as the Brahma-sāra, suggests that the conversation occurs between Brahmā, the demigod of creation, and Śiva, the universal annihilator. In our commentary, we have followed this interpretation.

Because this Upaniṣad does not directly reveal the Supreme as personal, monistic teachers such as Ādi Śaṅkara have concluded that the Brahman mentioned within the text is of an impersonal nature. However, theistic Vaiṣṇava philosophers such as Madhva, Raṅga Rāmānuja, Vallabha, and Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa have explained that the Brahman of the Upaniṣads is none other than the Supreme Personality of Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa).

Most English translations of the Kena Upaniṣad follow the impersonal commentary of Ādi Śaṅkara, and theistic commentaries are scarce. Thus, to redress this imbalance, we were inspired to write a commentary based on the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava school of Vedānta, to which we belong. Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism, inaugurated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in the 15th century, follows the theistic philosophical system of acintya-bhedābheda – inconceivable oneness and difference. This doctrine describes the nature of both the Supreme and His potencies and reconciles apparently contradictory statements found in the Vedic literature that declare both the Supreme and His creation to be simultaneously one and different.

Unlike the monistic Advaita philosophy of Ādi Śaṅkara, which advocates complete oneness between the jīva (living being) and the Supreme, Śrī Caitanya teaches that the finite jīva is similar to the Supreme in quality but does not share those qualities to an infinite extent. Thus, there exists both oneness and difference between the two (bhedābheda). From the material perspective, such a relationship cannot be fully comprehended with our imperfect, limited senses, and therefore it is described as inconceivable (acintya).

In contrast to the monists, who believe the Brahman of the Upaniṣads to be an impersonal, formless light devoid of all qualities and attributes, the followers of Śrī Caitanya understand Him to be personal and full of infinite transcendental qualities and pastimes. That Supreme Person is conceived by some theists as Viṣṇu, the creator of the cosmic manifestation, and by others as the sweet and enchanting Lord of Vṛndāvana, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

In conclusion, I humbly offer this commentary on the Kena Upaniṣad into the hands of our revered spiritual master, Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja, and to all my friends and well-wishers who have encouraged me in this endeavour.

OṀ TAT SAT

Narasiṅgha-pāda-sevaka –
Tridaṇḍi Swami Bhaktivijñāna Giri

Kṛṣṇa Bhakti Āśrama, Guanajuato, Mexico
October 20th, 2017
(Śrī Govardhana Pūjā)

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INVOCATION

ॐ आप्यायन्तु ममाङ्गानि वाक्प्राणश्चक्षुः श्रोत्रमथो बलमिन्द्रियाणि च सर्वाणि।
सर्वम् ब्रह्मोपनिषदम् माऽहं ब्रह्म निराकुर्यां मा मा ब्रह्म
निराकरोद निराकरणमस्त्व निराकरणम् मेऽस्तु ।
तदात्मनि निरते य उपनिषत्सु धर्मास्ते मयि सन्तु ते मयि सन्तु ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

oṁ āpyāyantu mamāṅgāni vāk prāṇaś cakṣuḥ śrotram atho balam indriyāṇi ca sarvāṇi
sarvaṁ brahmaupaniṣadaṁ māhaṁ brahma nirākuryāṁ mā mā brahma nirākarod anirākaraṇam’astv anirākaraṇaṁ me’stu
tadātmani nirate ya upaniṣatsu dharmās te mayi santu te mayi santu
oṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

Oṁ. May my limbs, speech, life-airs, sight, hearing, strength, and all my senses grow in perfection. Everything is the Supreme, who is glorified in the Upaniṣads. May I never neglect the Supreme; may the Supreme never abandon me. May He never forget me, and may I never forget Him. May that dharma which is revealed in the Upaniṣads abide within me – within me, whose sole pursuit is the Supreme Consciousness. Oṁ. Peace, peace, peace.

Commentary

talavakāra-dīptāya govinda-vana-vāsine
gurave narasiṅghāya gauraveṇārpayāmyaham

I respectfully dedicate this illumination on the glorious Kena Upaniṣad unto my revered spiritual master, Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja, who resides in the forest of Lord Govindajī.

In the traditional Vedic system of learning, both the student and the teacher recite the śānti-pāṭha (invocation for peace) before beginning their study of the śāstras, in order to create an auspicious atmosphere. All such invocations found in the Vedas and Upaniṣads begin with the sacred monosyllable oṁ, denoting the Absolute Truth along with His potencies. Paraphrasing his illustrious śikṣā-guru, Śrīla B.R. Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī, Swami B.G. Narasiṅgha has described oṁ as the “seed conception of theism,” for from this mantra the entire body of Vedic literature manifests and ultimately reveals the Supreme Absolute Truth as personal. Regarding the three syllables that comprise oṁ, the Padma Purāṇa states:

a-kārenocyate viṣṇuḥ śrīr u-kārena cocyate
ma-kāras tv anayor dāsaḥ pañcaviṁśaḥ prakīrtitaḥ

‘A’ refers to Viṣṇu, His consort Lakṣmī is symbolised by the letter ‘U,’ and ‘M’ refers to Their servant, the jīva who is the twenty-fifth element. (Padma Purāṇa 6.226. 22-23)

A similar verse is found in the Kṛṣṇa Yamala:

a-kārenocyate kṛṣṇaḥ sarva-lokaika-nāyakaḥ
u-kārenocyate rādhā ma-kāro jīva-vācakaḥ

‘A’ refers to Kṛṣṇa, the Master of all the worlds. The letter ‘U’ refers to His internal potency, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and ‘M’ is said to be the jīva.

Furthermore, in the Bhagavad-gītā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself declares, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu – “I am the syllable oṁ found in all the Vedas,” thereby clearly establishing that oṁ ultimately refers to the Supreme Person and not to an abstract, impersonal light. Thus, we can understand that the śānti-pāṭha primarily invokes the personal form of the Godhead –Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa.

Āpyāyantu mamāṅgāni vāk prāṇaś cakṣuḥ śrotram atho balam indriyāṇi ca sarvāṇi – The śānti-pāṭha begins with both the student and the teacher expressing the desire that all their senses may increase in strength. Of course, spiritual realisation does not manifest through physical strength; however, if the body is not properly maintained, it becomes weak, and one wastes valuable time nursing it. Furthermore, when the body is sickly, our consciousness becomes adversely affected. It is a common mistake made by beginners on the transcendental path to think that maintaining the body is an obstacle to spiritual progress. Attachment to the physical body and its maintenance, however, are two different things. One can maintain the body without cultivating attachment to it. For the spiritual seeker, the material body and senses are meant to be used in the service of the Absolute Truth.

Sarvaṁ brahmaupaniṣadam – “Everything is the Supreme who is praised in the Upaniṣads.” Naturally, this verse has been misconstrued by monistic philosophers, who take the word sarvam to mean that the universe, the individual consciousness, and the Supreme Consciousness are identical in every respect. They state that the individual ātmā is merely a reflection of the Supreme, just as the sun is reflected in a pot of water.

This theory, however, is unacceptable, for by nature the Supreme is all-pervading – how can that which pervades everything be reflected anywhere? What could remain apart from it to serve as a medium of reflection? Some monists also claim that the Supreme has divided Himself into all the individual ātmās; yet this hypothesis is equally unsound, for the Vedas declare that the Supreme is paripūrṇa (complete in every respect) and nirvikāra (unchanging).

The correct understanding of this statement is that everything is simultaneously one with and different from the Supreme, for all things are ultimately manifestations of His unlimited potencies. The potent and the potency are inseparable (śakti-śaktimatayor abheda), just as the rays of the sun cannot be separated from the sun itself, the original source of their emanation. The Supreme also pervades everything in His aspect as the Paramātmā; therefore, He is referred to as sarvam (“everything”). This is confirmed in the Eleventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, where Arjuna declares, sarvaṁ samāpnoṣi tato’si sarvaḥ – “You pervade all things; thus You are all things!”

Similarly, the Mahābhārata states:

asataś ca sataś caiva sarvasya prabhavāpyayāt
sarvasya ca sadā jñānāt sarvam enam pracakṣate

He is the origin and end of all things, both material and spiritual. He possesses full knowledge of all beings at all times; therefore, He is known as everything. (Mahābhārata, Udyoga-parva 68.11)

Next, the student and teacher pray that they may never neglect the Supreme (mā haṁ brahma nirākuryām). If one merely reads the Upaniṣads without proper faith (śraddhā) in the Absolute, one can never gain entrance into that realm of theistic thought. Access to that domain is not attained through academic knowledge or proficiency in Sanskrit grammar. Without śraddhā, one will never perceive the Lord within the words of the Upaniṣads.

We must first realise our eternal relationship with Him as His servants. By nature, the finite jīva is eternally subservient to the Supreme Lord. However, due to the contamination of māyā (illusion), the jīvas become bewildered and forget their position, believing themselves to be separate from Him. Such jīvas are referred to in Sanskrit as bahir-mukha (“those facing away from the Supreme”). The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam explains:

bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād
īśād apetasya viparyayo ’smṛtiḥ

Fear arises when one becomes absorbed in secondary interests. When one turns away from the Lord and forgets Him, one becomes covered by māyā and misidentifies oneself with the material body. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.2.37)

When the conditioned jīvas consider themselves independent of the Supreme Lord, they become absorbed in activities that bind them to this temporary realm of mortality. Influenced by material nature, they fall under the illusion that they are the body and that they belong to a particular nation, community, and so forth. In this diseased state of consciousness, they forget their true position and neglect their eternal Benefactor. Consequently, they are perpetually cast into various fearful conditions arising from their own karmic reactions.

The Vedānta-sūtra declares, ānandamayo ’bhyāsāt – the Supreme is the embodiment of bliss, and the living entity, being His part and parcel, also seeks bliss. Yet, we search for happiness in all the wrong places. From the very beginning, educators and family members tell us that if we excel academically, we will earn wealth and thus be happy; marketers assure us that happiness lies in the consumption of their products; politicians proclaim that if we vote for them, our happiness will increase. In every direction we are surrounded by deceivers peddling their wares, each promising a bright and joyous future.

However, in the material world, happiness remains forever elusive, for we associate it with external objects and fleeting relationships – all destined to vanish. Real happiness has nothing to do with gratifying the senses. Since we are eternal by nature, we can only experience true happiness when we are connected to that which is eternal. As the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam proclaims:

nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke
kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye
tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ
śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam

In this world, those who have attained the human form of life should not labour for pleasures that are available even to the pigs. Rather, one should perform divine austerities by which the heart becomes purified, and thereby attain infinite spiritual bliss. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.5.1)

We must first understand our eternal relationship with the Absolute Truth, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and when we are established in that, we will find tranquility and happiness.

The next section of the śānti-pāṭha states, mā mā brahma nirākarod – “May the Supreme never abandon me.” In the Gītā, Kṛṣṇa says that He is equal to all (samo’ham sarva-bhūteṣu) and that He has no friend or enemy. Yet, He is naturally inclined toward those who serve Him with love and devotion, just as a father reciprocates the love of his children. The Lord never abandons His devotees, and He promises Arjuna, His devotee and friend: kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati – “O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes!” (Bhagavad-gītā 9.31).

Due to his natural humility, the devotee prays to the Lord, “Do not abandon me.” In reality, the Supreme never abandons His devotee, but true devotees never consider themselves to be actual devotees; rather, they consider themselves lowly and unqualified for His mercy. It is this mood of sincere humility that attracts Kṛṣṇa. Pride, on the other hand, is the antithesis of devotion to the Supreme. It stems from ahaṅkāra (false ego) – the misconceived idea that we are in control and that we are the masters of all that we survey. In order to succeed in spiritual life, we must give up pride and cultivate a proper mood of humility.

ahaṅkāra nivṛttānāṁ keśavo na hi dūragaḥ
ahaṅkāra yutānāṁ hi madhye parvata rāśayaḥ

Keśava (Kṛṣṇa) is easily accessible to those who renounce their false ego. Yet, for those who retain their false ego, there is a mountain range between them and the Lord. (Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa)

In the material world, humility is often regarded as a weakness and selfishness as a strength. Those who boast and achieve their goals by hook or by crook are celebrated by mundane society as great achievers. However, humility is not a lack of self-esteem, as some people claim. True humility means placing others before oneself, and in the absolute sense, it means guiding others in the service of the Supreme.

The śānti-pāṭha continues with the words, anirākaraṇam astu, anirākaraṇaṁ me ’stu – “May He not forget me. May I not forget Him.” In reality, it is impossible for the Lord to forget His sincere devotee, even if the devotee forgets the Lord. For example, at the time of death, it may be difficult for a devotee to concentrate upon the Lord due to physical or mental discomfort. Yet Śrī Kṛṣṇa never forgets His surrendered devotees, because of the deep love He feels for them. In such trying circumstances, He personally makes all arrangements to help such a soul:

yadi vātādi-doṣeṇa mad-bhakto māṁ na ca smaret
aham smarāmi mad-bhaktaṁ nayāmi paramāṁ gatim

If, due to internal disturbances at the time of death, My devotee cannot remember Me, I will certainly remember My devotee and personally carry him to the Supreme Abode. (Varāha Purāṇa)

The śānti-pāṭha then states, tad ātmani nirate ya upaniṣatsu dharmāḥ (‘May that dharma found within the Upaniṣads also reside within me’). The Sanskrit word dharma is highly contextual. It is sometimes translated as religion, law, duty, virtue, and so on. In this invocation, however, dharma does not refer to mundane religious principles or duties; rather, it signifies the supreme purpose of life (para-dharma) for the living entity:

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati

The supreme dharma for mankind is that by which one can attain devotion to the Supreme Person, who is Adhokṣaja – beyond the reach of the material senses. Such devotion must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to fully satisfy the self. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.2.6)

The innate dharma of the jīva is bhakti, or devotion to the Supreme Lord. Our natural tendency is to serve; however, due to contact with matter, our inherent serving disposition becomes corrupted. The result is that we serve ourselves, our family, our community, our environment, our nation, and anything connected to us – instead of serving the source of everything, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. If we strive to satisfy Him, then all else will be satisfied.

yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena
tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ
prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāṁ
tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā

Just as by watering the roots of a tree, the trunk, branches, and twigs become satisfied, and as by supplying food to the life-airs the senses are nourished, similarly, by worshipping the infallible Supreme Truth, all others are automatically satisfied. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.31.14)

prīyatāṁ puṇḍarīkākṣaḥ sarva-yajñesvaro hariḥ
tasmiṁs tuṣṭe jagat-tuṣṭaṁ prīṇite prīṇitaṁ bhavet

May Hari (Kṛṣṇa), the lotus-eyed Lord of all sacrifices, be pleased with us. If He is satisfied, the entire universe is satisfied; and if He is pleased, the entire universe is pleased. (Matsya Purāṇa 238.38)

In this section the word ātmā is used to indicate the self. Ātmā can mean many things depending upon the context. Sometimes ātmā refers to the body, the mind, the individual consciousness or the Supreme consciousness. In this case, the word ātmā refers to the Paramātma, or Super Consciousness. The intrinsic differences between the individual ātmā and the Paramātmā are that the ātmā is eternally finite, whereas the Paramātmā is eternally infinite; the Paramātmā is all-pervading and the consciousness of the individual ātmā is localised; and in its conditioned state, the ātmā is subject to karma (action and reaction), whereas the Paramātmā is never subject to the laws of material nature. Even at the stage of liberation, the ātma and the Paramātmā remain individual. They never become one and the same. Self-realisation means understanding that we are an individual unit of consciousness. Those who are ignorant consider themselves to be the physical body and never attempt to discover the ātmā within. When one discovers the ātmā, one can immediately understand the nature of the Paramātmā.

Finally, the invocation concludes with the word śānti (peace). In his commentary to the Kaṭha Upaniṣad, Ādi Śaṅkara explains:

śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntir iti tri-vacanam sarva-doṣopaśamanārtham

The word śānti is invoked three times in order to remove all kinds of obstacles and disturbances.

These disturbances are known as the tāpa-traya, the threefold miseries that all conditioned beings must endure:

1. Ādhidaivika – those inflicted by higher forces of material nature,
2. Ādhyātmika – those arising from one’s own body and mind, and
3. Ādhibhautika – those caused by other living beings.

By invoking peace three times, the chanter prays for freedom from these miseries – externally, internally, and cosmically – so that the mind may become calm and receptive to transcendental knowledge.

Having thus understood the auspicious invocation, we now proceed to the text of the Kena Upaniṣad.

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