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Keno

 

Keno Upanishad

—investigates the source of consciousness, asking,

 “By whose will does the mind think and the senses function?” 

It teaches that Brahman (the ultimate reality) is the power behind all perception and action but remains beyond ordinary understanding. 

The Upanishad uses a story of gods learning from a mysterious being (Brahman) to illustrate divine humility. True knowledge is not just intellectual but experiential, requiring direct realization of Brahman. It concludes that one who truly understands Brahman becomes immortal and free from all limitations.

 It concludes that one who truly understands Brahman becomes immortal and free from all limitations

The Keno Upanishad 

one of the primary Upanishads, 

The name “Keno” comes from the first word of the text, which means “by whom”. 

The Upanishad asks deep questions about the source of our consciousness and life. 

It investigates:

• By whom is the mind directed?

• Who makes the body live?

• What power enables us to see, hear, and think?

The answer it gives is Brahman, the Supreme Reality. Everything in the universe works because of Brahman, but Brahman itself is beyond the reach of the senses and intellect.

Key Teachings of Keno Upanishad

• Brahman _power behind all senses and actions.

• Brahman _beyond the mind, speech, and senses.

• True knowledge [wisdom) is realizing Brahman within yourself.

• Humility is essential—power comes from Brahman, not from ego.

• The (jiva) Self (Atman) is one with Brahman.

Brahman is the unseen power behind all life and knowledge.

realizing this truth leads to self-awareness and liberation.

Shankaracharya’s Teachings on Brahman in the Keno Upanishad

• You cannot know Brahman through ordinary means (like sight, hearing, or thinking); it can only be realized through direct experience in deep meditation and self-inquiry.

• In Advaita (non-duality)—there is no difference between the individual self (Atman) and Brahman, the supreme reality.

• ego and pride (like those shown by the gods in the story) are illusions; true power and knowledge belong to Brahman alone.

Arrangement of  34 Verses

Section 1 (Mantras 1–8):

• Brahman is subtle and difficult to understand, but can be realized by a pure mind through meditation.

• It shines as lightning and can be shown in flashes of intuition.

• Those who realize Brahman gain self-knowledge, freedom, and peace in this life.

Section 2 (Mantras 1–5):

• Brahman cannot be known by ordinary knowledge.

• If you think you fully know Brahman, you have understood only a little.

• Brahman is realized by those who know that they do not know it in the usual sense—this is the paradox of true knowledge.

• Realizing Brahman leads to immortality and freedom from sorrow.

Section 3 (Mantras 1–12):

• A story explains how the gods (Agni, Vayu, Indra) became proud after defeating demons.

• Brahman appears as a mysterious spirit (Yaksha) to humble them.

• The gods realize that their power comes from Brahman, not themselves.

• Indra approaches Uma (Parvati), who reveals to him the truth of Brahman.

Section 4 (Mantras 1–9):

• The student asks: “By whom is the mind directed? Who empowers the senses?”

• The teacher answers: It is Brahman, the unseen power behind the mind, speech, sight, hearing, and life-force. Keno Upanishad 34 Verses Summary

Kaivalya

 

Kaivalya Upanishad

The supreme God is Shiva, Shiva is Brahman, Brahman is Atman, 

Know your Atman, Know yourself to be that Brahman,

late 1st millennium BCE minor Upanishad.

a Shaiva Upanishad, in two versions, Krishna Yajurveda and the Atharvaveda.

The Upanishad 

*extols Shiva, aloneness and renunciation, 

*describes the inner state of man in his personal spiritual journey detached from the world. 

presents Shaivism in Vedanta, discussing Atman (Self) and its relation to Brahman, and Self-knowledge as the path to kaivalya (liberation).

The term Upanishad means it is knowledge or "hidden doctrine" text that belongs to the corpus of Vedanta literature collection presenting the philosophical concepts of Hinduism and considered the highest purpose of its scripture, the Vedas.

One of a group of five Upanishads which extol and assert god Shiva as a symbolism for Atman (Self).

These five Upanishads – Atharvashiras, Atharvashikha, Nilarudra, Kalagnirudra and Kaivalya – are ancient, with Nilarudra likely the oldest 

Kaivalya likely composed closer to Shvetashvatara Upanishad, Mundaka Upanishad, and Mahanarayana Upanishad.

Structure

Krishna Yajurveda  edition 26 verses, 

Atharvaveda edition has 24 verses with an epilogue.

—-a discourse between the Vedic sage Ashvalayana and  Brahma, who is Sked for Brahma-vidya, that is the knowledge of ultimate reality Brahman.

-embeds key parts of verses from early Principal Upanishads, Mundaka and Shvetashvatara yet building its own message. 

The text presents Shaivism with Vedanta terminology, discussing the relationship of Atman (Self) and Brahman (ultimate Reality), and Self-knowledge as the means to Kaivalya (liberation).

the self-realized man is described as one who 

**"feels himself only as the one divine essence that lives in all", 

**feels his identity and everyone's consciousness with Shiva (the highest Self), 

**has found this highest Self within, in the depths of his heart

Ashvalayana,asks Paramesthi (synonym for Brahma) for Brahmavidya, which he calls "the highest knowledge, always cultivated by the good", one that enables to reach the person who is greater than the great.[

Brahma answers, verse 2 

Seek knowledge with Sraddha-bhakti-dhyana-yogadavehi (faith, devotion, meditation in yoga), not ritual works, not wealth, not offsprings".

Aloneness and renunciation, is the path to the life of eternity.

Shiva,companion of Uma, with three eyes, blue neck, calm wonderful 

imbued with intelligence and bliss, 

Is the source of everything.

It is this supreme lord,one must meditate on, verse 7

This supreme, states is the eternal, the all-pervading, formless, unmanifest, infinite, inconceivable, one without beginning or middle or end, one which is chidananda ("consciousness-bliss").

He is Brahman, Shiva, Indra, Vishnu, Prana (life force, breath), fire and moon (time,lunar calendar).

Eternity is him, all that originated and all that originates is him. 

Know him, find liberation, there is no other way, states verse 9

Meditate on Om: the three states of consciousness (verses 10-15)

see "his Atman (Self) in all beings, and all beings in his Atman" to attain salvation, there is no other way.

verse 11 metaphorically describes how to gain this knowledge.

Making  own Self as the lower fire stick and Om the upper fire stick, rub these together, light up the fire of knowledge, and burn the ties to ignorance.

Jiva (being) immersed in Maya (changing reality, illusive world) craves for worldly greed, 

performs karoti (Sanskrit: करोति, ritual works), 

enjoys bodily pleasures like women, food, drink and pleasures.

This, gives him satisfaction in his wakeful state, 

in dream as he sleeps his Self fashions a dream world of joys and nightmares, but this is all deception.

True bliss comes in the third state of consciousness. It is, the third state, everything comes to rest, in whole, in peace, in bliss. 

Shiva, Brahman is within you (verses 16-17)

the next two verses crystallize the ancient Hindu thought.

Man has an Atman (spirit) identical with the great spirit of the world, repeated in its great Upanishadic saying, "That art thou,"for God is within man.

यत्परं ब्रह्म सर्वात्मा विश्वस्यायतनं महत् |

सूक्ष्मात्सूक्ष्मतरं नित्यं तत्त्वमेव त्वमेव तत् ॥ १६॥

—Kaivalya Upanishad 16

Translation:

Brahman, the supreme Self of all, the great resting place of universe,

The subtlest of the subtle, eternal, you yourself are it, and it's you!

verse 17 of the text repeats, that all three states, experienced when one is awake, when one dreams, when one is in deep dreamless sleep, is illuminated therein.

"Know yourself to be that Brahman", tand experience liberation.

The state of liberation (verses 18-24)

verses 18 to 24 describe the state of liberated renouncer.

blissful, content in all three states of consciousness, feels everything was born in him and abides in him and dissolves in him, that he is Brahman that is in everyone, he is Sadashiva, ancient, diverse, spiritual, with the gift to know eternity.

The liberated renouncer, feels he is the knower, the perceiver, the one to learn the Vedas, to perfect the Vedas, verse 22 

He feels his essence is beyond good and bad, beyond body and mind, beyond merit and demerits, beyond what perishes, 

The liberated man,has found the highest Atman in his heart.

Commentaries 

Sadasiva Brahmendra, 

Upanishad Brahmayogin (c. 1800 CE) 

Osho (1931 – 1990).

Contents

 

• 
  
• Summary 12 upanishads
• Intro upa
• Krishnananda on upanishads
• Isa upanishad
• Keno upanishad
• Mundaka 3.2.3
• Mundaka some verses
• Mundaka 3.1.2
• Mundaka 3.1.1
• Mandukhya
• mundaka upanishad krishnananda
  

Summary 12 upanishads

summary-of-12-upanishads