Kenopanishad : ( 18/01/2013. )

Chapter-3. Mantram-1. Brahma   ha   Devebhyo   vijigye, tasya   ha   brhmano   vijaye   Deva   amahiyanta. Ta   aiksant-asmakam-evayam    vijayah asmakam-evayam   mahimeti.   Meaning- It is said that Devas once won a war over Asuras. Though the victory was due to Brahmam, the Devas became elated by it, and celebrated their victory.

Chapter 3. ---------------------------/ This chapter consists of 12 mantras, and is about a story, which is the symbolic representation of the truths so far discussed in the scriptures. Essence of the story:- We have already discussed how from the Unmanifest, the Manifest world emerged out, in descending series of grosser and still grosser matter. Thus we had Akasa (Sky)/Space, Vayu (Air), Agni (Fire), Jala ( water ), and ultimately Prithvi ( Earth ), the Pancha Boodhas ( Five Elements) enumerated in order of grossness--the Earth, being the grossest. Special qualities of Elements:- 1. Akasa- has sound as its property; 2. Vayu - has besides the quality of Akasa, its own special quality of touch;  3. Agni- with sound and touch, special quality Form; 4. In Jala- besides the qualities of the previous three elements, added taste as its special quality; 5. Earth- finally possess all four preceding qualities with its special quality , the smell. The sense-organs:- ...

Chapter-2. Mantram-5.(last of this chapter). Iha   ced-avedid-atha   satyam-asti na   ced-thavedin-mahati   vinastih Bhutesu   bhutesu   vicitya   dhirah pretya-smallokad-amrta   bhavanti. Meaning:- "If one knows ( That Brahmam )  here, In this world, then the true end of all human aspirations is gained. If one knows not ( That/ Brahmam) here, great is the destruction. The wise, seeing the  ONE ATMA  IN ALL  BEINGS, rise from  sense-life and become immortal. " Explanation:- Without renunciation, no enduring successes  can ever be gained by anyone, at any time, in the annals of human endeavour. Examples:- Nature herself is roaring this Truth. 1. The fish must renounce their capacity to swim if they were to gain the greater glory of gliding through the space on their wings as birds. The birds must surrender their power of flying if they were to rise higher in evolution and reach the instinc...

Chapter-2. Mantram-4. Pratibodha-viditam   matam   amrtatvam   hi   vindate, Atmana   vindate   viryam   vidyaya   vindate mrtam. Meaning:- "Indeed, he attains immortality, who intuits it in and through every modification of the mind. Through the Atma he obtains real strength, and through knowledge, immortality." Explanation:- A dynamic witness- A Absolute Truth presiding in us as the Self is 'known well' only when it is knowingly understood as the witness of the three states of Consciousness. " A witness is one who is standing apart from the incident and who witnesses and views   the incident without in any sense taking part in it. The witness has not even any interest in the incident nor has any prejudice against it. Unmoved and uninterested, a witness beams on the passing panorama in front of him." Similarly  if Truth, the Self, were to retain Its status as the Eternal, the Immortal, the All-pervading. It...

Chapter-2. Mantram-3. Yasyamatam   tasyamatam   matam   yasya   na   veda   sah; Avynatam   vyanatam   vynatam-avyanatam. Meaning- "He understands It who comprehends It not;  and he understands It not, who feels he has comprehended It. It is the unknown to the Master of True Knowledge but to the ignorant It is the known." Explanation- This is the reply  of Guru to the Disciple's reaction in the mantram-2. Here the Teacher endorses that what was stated by the pupile  is quite acceptable and that it is the only way in which the transcendal experience can be expressed. The Self which is Knowledge Absolute cannot be known by another knower other than Itself. The sun never illuminates Itself since it is light itself.      

Chapter-2. Mantram-2. Naham   manye   suvedeti   no  na   vedeti   veda   ca yo   nastad   veda   tad   no   na   vedeti   veda   ca. Meaning:- "I do not think that 'I know it well.' But not that I do not know;  I know too. Who amongst us comprehends It both as the Not Known and as the Known--- He comprehends It." Explanation:- Guru's(Teacher) warning to Disciple:-(mantram-1.) The Guru's kind and critical warning was that  the Self is not known as an object other than the knower himself, and that all such understandings are but the comprehensions of the Intellect and Mind and not the true Experience of Truth through the 'Divine-Eye,' the Intuition. The disciple's answer as contained in this mantram is quite revealing and expressive. Disciple's reaction to Guru's warning:- There is an entire drama packed in this mantram : a drama of the student's inner mind. In utt...

Chapter:-2. Mantram:-1. Yadi   manyase   suvedeti   dabhramevapi nunam   tvam   vettha   Brahmano   rupam; yadasya   tvam   yadasya   devesvatha  nu mimamsyameva   te   manye   viditam. Meaning of the Mantram- The preceptor here hastens to warn his disciple: "If you think, 'I knew well.' it is certainly but little- the form of the Brahmam you have known is also the form of the Devas. T herefore, I think that what what you think is still to be ascertained."  Explanation:- Fool:- The teacher reads the face of the disciple and gives a timely warning : "If you think that you know the Atma well, you are indeed a fool. I have said that the Atma is the Eye of the Eye etc , and the same is the Chaithanya(Power) in heavenly forms of the Devas also. But because of these statements in the last chapter  if you conclude that you have 'realised' Atma, you are sadly mistaken.   Cond...