Kena Upanishad - Translated By Swami Lokeswarananda

The Kena Upanishad is so called because it starts with the word "kena"- "by whom?" .By whom is this phenomenal world controlled? the Upanishad asks. The answer is Brahman. To illustrate this the Upanishad introduces a story showing how the gods are helpless without Brahman and how if they have any power they derive it from Brahman. The goal of life is to realize that one is in reality this Brahman. Only such knowledge can give us liberation and this is what the Kena Upanishad discusses. This Upanishad forms a part of the Talavakara or Jaimini Brahmana. Here we get the notion of the Brahman as the origin ground and goal of all the manifold manifestation. It lays great stress on the unique opportunity given to human birth in the spiritual evolution and unfoldment of the soul. This volume is a simple and lucid translation of the Upanishad with explanation and follows Shankara's interpretation. This compilation is based on Swami Lokeswarananda's weekly discourses on the Upanishad.