Khanda 2

Recitation with translationKena Upanishad Khanda 2

Verses

Verse 2.1

यदि मन्यसे सुवेदेति दभ्रमेवापि नूनं त्वं वेत्थ ब्रह्मणो रूपम् । यदस्य त्वं यदस्य देवेष्वथ नु मीमांस्यमेव ते मन्ये विदितम् ॥१॥

Wenn du denkst: 'Ich kenne es gut', dann kennst du sicher nur wenig von der Gestalt des Brahman, nur jenen Aspekt, der in dir ist, und jenen, der unter den Göttern weilt. Daher denke ich, dass das, was du als erkannt betrachtest, noch erforscht werden muss.

Verse 2.2

नाहं मन्ये सुवेदेति नो न वेदेति वेद च । यो नस्तद्वेद तद्वेद नो न वेदेति वेद च ॥२॥

Ich meine nicht: «Ich kenne Es gut», noch (meine ich): «Ich kenne Es nicht». Wer unter uns Das (Brahman) erkennt, der erkennt Es; und er erkennt auch, dass Es nicht wie ein gewöhnlicher Gegenstand erkannt wird.

Verse 2.3

यस्यामतं तस्य मतं मतं यस्य न वेद सः । अविज्ञातं विजानतां विज्ञातमविजानताम् ॥३॥

Wem Es nicht als Objekt des Denkens erscheint, dem ist Es wahrhaft erkannt; wer aber meint, Es zu kennen, der kennt Es nicht. Unbekannt ist Es denen, die Es als Gegenstand wissen, und bekannt denen, die Es nicht vergegenständlichen.

Verse 2.4

प्रतिबोधविदितं मतममृतत्वं हि विन्दते । आत्मना विन्दते वीर्यं विद्यया विन्दतेऽमृतम् ॥४॥

Wahre Erkenntnis ist die, welche in jedem Aufleuchten des Bewusstseins erkannt wird; dadurch erlangt man wahrlich Unsterblichkeit. Durch das Selbst gewinnt man Kraft, durch Wissen gewinnt man Unsterblichkeit.

Verse 2.5

इह चेदवेदीदथ सत्यमस्ति न चेदीहावेदीन्महती विनष्टिः । भूतेषु भूतेषु विचित्य धीराः प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवन्ति ॥५॥

Wenn einer Es hier erkannt hat, dann ist es wahr: das Ziel ist erfüllt. Wenn er Es hier nicht erkannt hat, ist der Verlust groß. Indem die Weisen Es in jedem Wesen unterscheiden, werden sie, von dieser Welt scheidend, unsterblich.

Inside Khanda 2

Key teachings

  • • Brahman cannot be fully comprehended by the intellect; whoever thinks they have known it has not truly known it, while one who realizes its unknowability has a deeper grasp of it. • The one who claims 'I know not' may indeed know, and the one who claims 'I know' does not know—true knowledge of Brahman is beyond ordinary epistemology. • Those who deem Brahman beyond thought truly think of Brahman; those who try to reduce it to thought do not comprehend it. • Immortality (amṛtatva) is attained through direct, moment-to-moment realization (pratibodha-vidita) of Brahman in every experience, not through mere intellectual study. • The Self gains spiritual power (vīrya) through self-knowledge, and through vidyā (spiritual wisdom) one attains immortality. • If one realizes Brahman here in this life, it is truth; if not, great destruction follows. The wise who perceive Brahman in every being become immortal upon departing this world.

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