Kena Upanishad – Chapter 4 – Verse 2   «   »

Kena Upanishad – Chapter 4 – Verse 2   «   »

तस्माद्वा एते देवा अतितरामिवान्यान्देवान्यदग्निर्वायुरिन्द्रस्ते
ह्येनन्नेदिष्ठं पस्पर्शुस्ते ह्येनत्प्रथमो विदाञ्चकार ब्रह्मेति ॥ २॥
tasmādvā ete devā atitarāmivānyāndevānyadagnirvāyurindraste
hyenannediṣṭhaṃ pasparśuste hyenatprathamo vidāñcakāra brahmeti .. 2..
2 Therefore verily, these gods—Agni, Vāyu and Indra—excel the other gods; for they approached the yaksha nearest; they were the first to know Him as Brahman.

English Translation Of Sri Shankaracharya’s Sanskrit Commentary By S. Sitarama Sastry

Because these Devas, Agni, Vayu and Indra approached the Brahman nearest by conversing with and seeing That, they surpass the others considerably in the matter of power, quality and affluence. The particle ‘Iva’ either has no meaning or has the force of ‘certainly.’ Because these Devas, Agni, Vayu and Indra approached nearest the most desirable Brahman, by such means as the conversation aforesaid, and because they were the first who knew the Brahman, they are foremost.

English Commentary By Swami Sivananda

।।4.1.2।। The Devas, Agni, Vayu and Indra approached the Brahman nearest by conversing with Brahman and seeing Him also and so they excel the other gods in the matter of power, qaulify and prosperity. They were the first who knew Brahman and so they are pre-eminent.


Kena Upanishad – Verse 2 – Kena-4-2-tasmādvā ete devā – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Meaning and Commentary by Adi Shankaracharya (Sankara Bhashya) and Swami Sivananda – Kena-4-2