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Ken Upanishad-Teachings

The Ken Upanishad (Saam Ved - 4 chapters, 35 mantras) derives its name from the word 'Ken', meaning 'by whom'.
It is also called " Talavakaar Upanishad".
It has four sections, the first two in verse and the other two in prose.
The metrical portion deals with the Supreme Unqualified Brahm, the absolute principle underlying the world of phenomenon, and the prose part deals with the Supreme as God, 'Eeshwar'.

The Ken Upanishad concludes that austerity, restraint, and work are the foundation of the mystical doctrine; the Ved are its limbs, and truth is its home. The one who knows it strikes off evil and becomes established in the most excellent, infinite, heavenly world.

The eternal question is, " At whose desire does the mind function, who puts first the vital force into motion?"
The Rishi (seer of this Upanishad) answers, " The Brahm or the Transcendent and Immanent Spirit".
It is neither seen by the eye nor heard by the ear. Nor the mind knows it. The Spirit is the seer of the eye, the hearer of the ear and knower of the mind. It is through the power of this Spirit that every thing else functions. It is beyond the reach of the senses and can be felt like a mighty presence through intuition. It is that spirit which is which is real God and not the many gods that people worship. This is the teaching of Ken Upanishad and is embodied in the allegory of Umaa, (also called Haimaavatee) the goddess of spiritual wisdom.

This Upanishad which is in the form of a dialog between Chaturmukh Brahma and Sadaashiv, and brings out the "Sarva-prerakatwa" (controller of all others), "Sarvottamatwa" (superiority over all else) and "Sakalyenavedyatwa" (Unknowable in its entirety) of the Supreme Person.

The Upanishad asks three questions at the outset:
1. Who directs the mind towards its good or bad objects?
2. Who directs Mukhya Praan to discharge his duties?
3. Who directs the senses -- eye, ear, etc., towards the respective objects?

All these questions have but a single answer. He who gives the power of seeing to the eye, hearing to the ear, thinking to the mind and power to move to Praan directs their respective activities. He is evidently the Supreme God. Those who realize that He is the director of the mind, senses and even of Praan, will attain liberation. This takes us to the question of the nature of God.

God is beyond the reach of the senses, beyond words and even beyond the mind. Being Infinite, He cannot be brought within the compass of limited knowledge. One cannot know how He directs the senses, mind, etc. However, He does not remain altogether unknown, but is not completely known because of His infinite nature. He is unique, distinct from and Superior to all known things manifest or unmanifest. He cannot be known through speech, mind, eyes, etc, but knows all that is known through these and regulates them. He is immanent in all the Jeev and directs them, but He is not identical to them. Those who think that they know Him fully do not really know Him, as they have not comprehended His Infinite nature. On the other hand, those who think that they do not know Him fully, know Him, as they have realized His Infinite nature. The knowledge of God to the best of one's ability is adequate for one's salvation. The presence of God as the Inner resident and controller of all is brought out by an interesting story of "Ahankaar Khandan" (humbling the pride) of Agni, Nasikya Vayu and Indra in this Upanishad.

The Upanishad concludes its teaching by stating that Tapas (penance), Dam (subduing the senses) and Karm (prescribed action) are the means to obtain spiritual knowledge. The Ved, Vedaang and Meemaansaa constitute the source Literature of philosophical inquiry.

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