Khanda 3

Recitation with translationKena Upanishad Khanda 3

Verses

Verse 3.1

ब्रह्म ह देवेभ्यो विजिग्ये तस्य ह ब्रह्मणो विजये देवा अमहीयन्त । त ऐक्षन्तास्माकमेवायं विजयः अस्माकमेवायं महिमा इति ॥१॥

Brahma ne devtaon ke liye jeet karwayi. Us jeet mein devta khush ho gaye. Woh sochne lage ki yeh jeet humari hai, yeh badaai humari hai.

Verse 3.2

तद्धैषां विजज्ञौ तेभ्यो ह प्रादुर्बभूव । तन्न व्यजानत किमिदं यक्षमिति ॥२॥

Brahma ne unki baat sun li aur unke saamne aa gaya. Par devtaon ko pata nahi chala ki yeh kaun hai. Woh sochne lage ki yeh kaisa roop hai.

Verse 3.3

तेऽग्निमब्रुवन्—जातवेद एतद्विजानीहि किमिदं यक्षमिति। तथेति॥३॥

Woh log Agni ke paas gaye aur bole, 'Agniji, tum Jatavedas ho, sab kuchh jaante ho. Dekho yeh Yaksha kaun hai.' Agni ne kaha, 'Theek hai, main dekhta hoon.'

Verse 3.4

तदभ्यद्रवत्। तमभ्यवदत्—कोऽसीति। अग्निर्वा अहमस्मीति अब्रवीत्। जातवेदाः वा अहमस्मीति॥४॥

Agni us Yaksha ke paas bhaaga. Yaksha ne poocha, 'Kaun hai tu?' Agni ne jawab diya, 'Main Agni hoon, aag ka devta. Main Jatavedas hoon, sab kuchh jaanta hoon.'

Verse 3.5

तस्मिंस्त्वयि किं वीर्यमिति। अपि सर्वमिदं दहेयं यदिदं पृथिव्यामिति॥५॥

Yaksha ne poocha, 'Tum mein kya taakat hai?' Agni bola, 'Main poori duniya ko aag laga sakta hoon. Jo bhi zameen par hai, sab ko jala sakta hoon.'

Verse 3.6

तस्मै तृणं निदधाव् एतद् दह इति । तद् उपप्रेयाय सर्वजवेन तन् न शशाक दग्धुम् । स तद् एव निववृते, नैतद् अशकद् विज्ञातुं यद् एतद् यक्षम् इति ॥६॥

Yaksha ne ek ghaas ki pudiya uske paas rakh di aur bola, 'Isse jala ke dikhao.' Agni ne poora zor lagaya, lekin woh ghaas bhi nahi jali. Woh haar ke wapas aa gaya. Use samajh nahi aaya ki woh Yaksha aakhir kaun tha.

Verse 3.7

अथ वायुम् अब्रुवन्—वायो एतद् विजानीहि किम् एतद् यक्षम् इति । तथा इति ॥७॥

Phir woh log Vayu ke paas gaye. Unhone kaha, 'Vayuji, tum hawa ke ho, sab jagah jaate ho. Pata karo yeh Yaksha kaun hai.' Vayu ne kaha, 'Theek hai, main jaata hoon.'

Verse 3.8

तद् अभ्यद्रवत् । तम् अभ्यवदत्—कः असि इति । वायुर् वा अहम् अस्मि इत्य् अब्रवीत् । मातरिश्वा वा अहम् अस्मि इति ॥८॥

Woh uske paas bhaaya. Usne poocha, kaun ho tum? Usne jawab diya, main Vayu hoon. Main hawa ka swami hoon.

Verse 3.9

तस्मिन् त्वयि किं वीर्यम् इति। अपि इदं सर्वम् आददीयम्, यदिदं पृथिव्याम् इति॥९॥

Usne poocha, tum mein kitni taakat hai? Usne kaha, agar tum mein dum hai toh zameen par jo bhi hai sab utha ke dikhao.

Verse 3.10

तस्मै तृणं निदधौ—एतदादत्स्व इति। तत् उपप्रेयाय सर्वजवेन; तन्न शशाक आदातुम्। स तदेव निववृते—नैतदशकं विज्ञातुं यदेतद् यक्षम् इति॥१०॥

Usne ek ghaas ki pudiya rakh di aur bola, yeh utha ke dikhao. Woh bhaaya, apni poori speed se, par woh ghaas bhi nahi hil paayi. Woh wapas aaya, kuch samajh mein nahi aaya ki woh Yaksha aakhir kaun tha.

Verse 3.11

अथ इन्द्रम् अब्रुवन्—मघवन्, एतद्विजानीहि किमेतद् यक्षम् इति। तथा इति। तदभ्यद्रवत्। तस्मात् तिरोदधे॥११॥

Phir unhone Indra se kaha, ja aur dekh ki woh Yaksha kaun hai. Indra bola, theek hai. Woh bhaaya, par jaise hi paas gaya, woh Yaksha gayab ho gaya.

Verse 3.12

स तस्मिन्नेवाकाशे स्त्रियमाजगाम बहुशोभमानामुमां हैमवतीम्। तां ह उवाच—किमेतद्यक्षमिति॥१२॥

Wahi jagah par usne ek aurat dekhi, Uma. Woh bahut chamak rahi thi, pahad jaisi roshni thi usme. Indra ne usse poocha, batao yeh Yaksha kaun hai?

Inside Khanda 3

Key teachings

  • • Brahman alone is the source of all victory and power; the gods' triumph was not their own doing but Brahman's expression through them. • Ego and the sense of individual doership (ahamkara) obscure the recognition of Brahman as the inner controller. • Agni (fire) and Vayu (wind), though mighty deities, could not grasp or move a single blade of straw when confronted by Brahman, revealing that all elemental powers derive from a higher Reality. • Brahman cannot be known as an object of perception; it appears as a mysterious Yaksha that eludes definition. • Indra's approach in humility and inquiry marks the beginning of true knowledge — approaching Brahman as a student, not a conqueror. • Goddess Uma-Haimavati reveals the identity of the Yaksha as Brahman, emphasizing that the realization of Brahman requires grace, revelation, and the feminine principle of wisdom (Vidya). • The teaching dismantles the pride of the senses and devas, redirecting the seeker inward toward the Self (Atman) which is identical with Brahman.

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