The Living Kena Upanishad

The Kena Upanishad By Jayaram V	The Living Kena Upanishad By The Man Who Saw God Face To Face
Invocation OM! May He protect us both together. May He give us enjoyment. May we exert ourselves through our radiance. May there never be differences between us in understanding. OM peace from heaven, peace from the earth, peace from the body! OM! May my limbs, speech and prana grow. May my eyes, ears and the strength of the sense grow too. Everything is Brahman described in the Upanishads. Brahman never refuses to accept me. May I never refuse to accept Brahman. Let my Atman show interest in me and may all the virtues described in the Upanishads reside in me!	The word ‘may’ does not have assurance. Whatever that may happen, may or may not happen. Be direct and definite in your prayers. 25 Yes, the Almighty will be your gold And your precious silver; 26 For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, And lift up your face to God. 27 You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, And you will pay your vows. 28 You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways. 29 When they cast you down, and you say, 'Exaltation will come!' Then He will save the humble person. 30 He will even deliver one who is not innocent; Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands." Job 22:25-30 Therefore, pray like this: OM! Oh God, protect us. Give us enjoyment. Let your Holy Spirit fill us and radiate through us. Let the light of truth guide our understanding. OM, let there be peace from heaven, let there be peace from the earth, let there be peace from the body! OM! Let my limbs, speech and prana grow. Let my spiritual eye and ear become open. and the strength of the sense grow too. Everything is pervaded by Brahman (God). Brahman never refuses to accept me. Oh God do not let any evil have a portion in my life. Atman (Spirit) shows interest in me and all the virtues of God reside in me! “"All my springs are in you," says the Almighty. Psalms 87:7
Chapter 1 By whose commands this mind works? By whose will the life's breath circulates? Who is responsible for man's speech? What intelligence does lead the eyes and the ears?	Chapter 1 “Not by power nor by might, but by my spirit,” says the Lord. By the spirit everything works. By the spirit mind works. By the spirit the life's breath circulates By the spirit man speaks. By the spirit the eyes sees and the ears hears.
It is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the speech of the speech. Also the life of all life, and the eye of the eye.	The spirit animates and utilizes the mind, speech and eye. This spirit is life. It is all seeing.
The wise abandon the sensory world and become immortal.	The world is like a castle of illusion. The reality is completely spiritual. The two worlds co-exist but do not mix. The ignorant ones follow the ways of the world. The wise ones seek the truth in spirit, and become immortal as soon as they know the truth.
There the eyes cannot travel, nor speech nor mind.	In spirit, the eyes, mind and communication are better enhanced.
Nor do we know how to explain it to the disciples.	Words are not enough to explain spiritual realities.
It is other than the known and beyond the unknown. So were we taught by our ancients.	What is known is known and what is not known is not known. Those who know actually know, but those who do not know do not actually know. So says the man who saw God face to face. God does not play hide and seek game.
That which the speech cannot reveal, but causes the speech to flow, know that alone to be Brahman, not this whom people worship here (through mantras).	Spirit is life and everything in life is made of the same spirit. God is spirit. This spirit is also word, for spirit is vibration and word is also vibration. God is revealed in His word, for His word bear His signature: Himself, His Name, His Spirit, His Presence And His Essence.
That which the mind cannot conceptualize, but by which the mind does conceptualize, know that alone to be Brahman. Not the one whom people worship here.	The mind comprehends God by hearing about Him, by seeing Him, by touching Him, by knowing Him, by experiencing Him and by becoming one with Him. This is life, and it is glorious.
That which the eye cannot see, but by which the eyes are able to see, know that alone to be Brahman. Not this whom people worship here.	The eye can see God, and its God’s desire that His people see Him. However, people do not see God because they are busy following the imaginations of their hearts.
That which the ear cannot hear, but by whom the ear can hear, know that alone as Brahman, not this which people worship here.	The ear can hear God, for God speaks to be heard, and He has endowed man with the ability to hear Him.
That which one does not breath, but by whom air is breathed, know that to be Brahman, not that which people worship here.	God is spirit, and spirit is breathe. We breathe this air, even without knowing it. Just as we see the Holy Spirit in the light everyday, without knowing that we see the Holy Spirit. The everyday light is the manifest form of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is everywhere, and yet people do not know it. In spirit, the omnipresence of God is just like the ubiquitous (omnipresent) light we see everyday.
Chapter II If you think you know It well, you indeed know It very little. That whom you see in the beings and gods, you see but very little (portion) of It.	Chapter II If you know it, you actually know it. But if you do not know it, you do not actually know it. God does not play hide and seek game. Before you can say that you know it, you must have seen Him, heard Him, touched Him, known (recognized) Him, experienced Him and become one with Him. Therefore the knowledge of the Lord has levels. Level 1: is to imagine Him. Level 2: is to hear Him. Level 3: is to see Him. Level 4: is to touch Him. Level 5: is to recognize Him. Level 6: is to experience Him. Level 7: is to become one with Him.
I know that I know It (some what) well, also I know that I know It not so well. Who amongst us comprehends It both as the known and not much known, alone has the right understanding.	Whoever that knows Him once, knows Him always. And whoever that knows Him in the least, knows Him as All-In-All. This is true knowledge. God is one. Yet, He has different manifestations. Whoever that knows Him in one particular manifestation, also knows Him in all the other manifestations. For truth is one and unchanging.
He comprehends It who thinks he has not. He has not comprehended It who thinks he has. To the real masters It is the unknown, but to the ignorant He is always the known.	Those who comprehend Him know Him. To the real masters, He is always the same, who animates, dominates and controls all that exist. He is within all things centering them; and without all things controlling them. When you see a person you know in a different dress, you are able to recognize and identify him. Again, you do not need to see a person wear all types of dress before you know him. Likewise, whoever that knows God is able to recognize Him in whatever manifestation He appears. God does not play hide and seek game.
Indeed immortality is his gain who understands It by his thoughts.	Only thought is not enough for a person to know God. That is why many religions and churches are today misleading the world with figments of imagination. You do not know God by your thought only. You must see, hear, touch, know and experience God before you can know Him. God is spirit, and you must know Him as spirit.
Through the Atman he gains real strength and immortality through the knowledge (of Brahman).	Spirit is life. This life is everlasting. It does not get tired like the physical body (flesh). Life is everlasting, and whoever knows this truth does not die, because you are what you know.
In this world if one knows It, one gains truth. If one does not know it , great is the loss. The wise see clearly in all the Atman and rise from the sensory world to the world of immortality.	Hence, you shall know the truth and the truth shall set free (from death, cares and worries, ups and downs of earthly life). Those who do not know the truth grieve a lot at death, and thereby unnecessarily torment their own souls. Those who know the truth are free from such illusions.
Chapter III Once Brahman won victory for the devas. But unknowing the devas were proud of victory. Thought they, "Ours alone is victory and to us only belongs all the glory."	Chapter III This is the real problem in the world. People claim to do this or achieve that, without knowing that all actions are performed by the forces of nature (by the Holy Spirit). Out of ignorance, they steal God’s glory.
Brahman knowing their vanity appeared in front of them as an Yaksha (ethereal spirit). But they did not know who that great Yaksha was. So they said to Agni, "Jataveda, know well what this Yaksha is." And as requested Agni agreed. He rushed to the Yaksha and the Yaksha (Brahman) asked, "What power do you have and of what nature?" And Agni replied," I am Agni (fire), the omniscient. I can burn all that is on earth." Then Brahman placed a blade of grass in front of Agni saying, "Burn it." Agni rushed to it with all his strength, but could not burn it. He returned to the gods saying," What the Yaksha was I could not find." So they said to Vayu (the wind) " O great Vayu, go and find out what this great Yaksha is and from where ." And as requested Vayu agreed. He (Vayu) rushed to the Yaksha and Brahman asked him who he was. Replied Vayu, " I am Vayu. I am really the master of all skies." And Brahman enquired," What is the nature of your power in you." And replied Vayu, "All this, whatever that is here , I can blow away." Brahman placed before him a blade of grass saying, "Blow it away." Vayu approached it with his full might, but could not move it even a little. He too returned to the gods saying, "I could not find that which this Spirit is." Then the gods requested Indra, "Chief of gods, find out for us this great Spirit and from where." But as he approached, the Spirit disappeared. And at the very same spot in the sky appeared extremely charming Uma Haimavati (daughter of Himavat). He (Indra) asked her who the great Yaksha was. as.	“Not by power nor by might, but by my spirit,” says the Lord. God rules the universe by His own will power. This will power is supreme and omnipotent.
Chapter IV "Indeed It was Brahman," she replied. "Through Him alone you all achieved victory." Then only Indra could discern who the incredible Brahman was.	Chapter IV Agni, Vayu and Indra have not yet known Him. They have only seen Him. To see Him is not enough for a person to say He knows God. When God came as Jesus, the Israelites saw Him, still they did not know that He (Jesus) was God Almighty.
Therefore Agni, Vayu and Indra are verily above all other gods, for they alone went nearest to Him and were the first to know Him as Brahman. And therefore Indra of the three above all others for he alone went nearest to Brahman and was the first to know Him as Brahman (from goddess Uma).	Agni, Vayu and Indra are not the only those who went nearest to Him, for God is all things centering them.
Now this is the instruction regarding Brahman, (envision Him) as he appeared before the gods, shining like a lightning and disappearing within the winking of an eye.	God is spirit, and spirit is light. Light can appear and disappear.
Now this is another instruction regarding Brahman, (envision Him) think of Him mentally as the microcosm (Atman) with in the body as Atman.	Man is a small God, even as a lamb is a small sheep. The spirit is not the body. Both spirit and body only co-exist. They do not mix.
Now Tadvanam is the name upon which He is to be meditated or worshipped mentally. He who knows Him in this way is extremely loved by all living beings.	You do not need to worship God mentally, because we always in the presence of God, just as we are always in the presence of the sun during the day. No one is ever alone. What you call mentally is entirely spiritual, and that is the reality.
The disciple asks, "Sir teach me Upanishad." And the master replies," The Brahman of Upanishad is explained to you. That knowledge of Upanishad we have imparted to you."	The word is spirit. It is the spirit that gives life and is life. He who has heard the word of God has God awake in Him, because God and His word are one and the same essence. 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-3 3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. The light was from God and the light was God. Genesis 1:3
"Austerity, control and sincere effort are the foundations on which it (knowledge of Brahma) rests. The Vedas are its limbs and Truth is its abode.	The foundation of knowledge is truth. Truth is its own abode (the Holy Spirit), just as the sunlight is the abode of the sun. The sun has no dwelling place. The key to the knowledge of truth are self-control, sincerity and meditation.
Verily he who knows it thus cleanses all his sins and becomes established in the vast heavenly and the highest state of Bliss. Yes he is certainly established.	Whoever that hears, reads, mediates on and obeys the word of God cleanses his sins. He becomes a saint.
The End.	This is only an introduction, just the beginning.