Kena-4-8-tasai tapo

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

Of the Upanishad about Brahman which has been already taught, devotion, etc., are helps to the acquisition. ‘Tapas’ means, ‘control of the body, the sensory organs and the mind.’ ‘Dama’ means ‘freedom from passions.’ ‘Karma’ is Agnihotra, etc. It has been seen that knowledge of the Brahman arises indirectly through the purification of the mind in the person, who has been refined by these. Even when Brahman is explained, those who have not been purged of their faults, either disbelieve or misbelieve in it, as in the cases of Indra, Virochana, etc. Therefore, knowledge as inculcated arises only in him who has, by tapas, etc., performed either in this birth or in many previous ones, purified his mind. The Sruti says: “To that high-souled man whose devotion to the Lord is great and whose devotion to his preceptor is as great as that to the Lord, these secrets explained become illuminated.” The Smriti says: “Knowledge arises in men by annihilation of sinful deeds.” The word ‘iti’ is used to show that the mention of tapas, etc., is only by way of illustration; for it will show that there are other aids than those mentioned to the acquisition of knowledge, as freedom from pride, hatred of pomp, etc. ‘Pratishta’ means ‘legs.’ For, when they exist, knowledge is firmly seated just as a person goes about with his legs, the four Vedas, all the six supplements, i.e., Siksha, etc. The Vedas being the enlighteners of the knowledge of karma and the supplementary scriptures being intended for their protection are called ‘legs’ of the knowledge of Brahman. Or the word ‘Pratishta’ having been construed as legs, the Vedas must be understood as all other parts of the body than the legs, such as the head, etc. In this case it should be understood that in the mention of Vedas, the Angas, siksha, etc., are in effect mentioned. When the trunk [ angi ] is mentioned, the limbs [ angas ] are included; because the limbs live in the trunk. The place where the Upanishad rests is Truth. ‘Satyam’ (Truth) means ‘freedom from deceit and fraud in speech, mind or deed’; for knowledge seeks those who are good-natured and free from deceit and not men of the nature of the A suras and the deceitful; for, the Sruti says: ‘Not in whom there is fraud, falsehood or deceit.’ Therefore, it is said that Truth is the resting place of knowledge. The mention again of Truth as the resting place of knowledge, notwithstanding its implied mention as ‘the leg on which knowledge stands’ along with devotion, etc., is to indicate that Truth excels others as a help to knowledge; for, the Smriti says: “If a thousand Asvamedha sacrifices and Truth were weighed in the balance, one Truth spoken will outweigh the thousand sacrifices.”

English Commentary By Swami Sivananda

।।4.1.8।। Austerity, self-control and Karma are auxiliaries or aids to the acisition of the knowledge of Brahman.

Tapas-control of the body, the senses and the mind; Dama-self-restraint, freedom from passions; Karma-Agnihotra, etc.

Knowledge of Brahman arises in those persons who have purified their minds by austerity, self-restraint and works either in this birth or in many previous births. Those who have not removed the impurities of the mind either disbelieve or misbelieve Brahman when it is explained as in the cases of Indra and Virochana. The Sruti says: ‘These secrets explained become illumined to that great soul whose devotion to the Lord is great and whose devotion to his preceptor is as great as that of the Lord.’ The Smriti says: ‘Knowledge dawns in men by destruction of the evil actions.’

The word Iti is used indicate that the mention of Tapas, etc., is only by way of illustration, because there are other auxiliaries then these, such as freedom from pride, egoisam, jealousy, hatred etc., for the attainment of the knowledge of Brahman.

‘Austerity etc., are its support, the Vedas are all its limbs, Truth is its abode’-This is another rendering.

Pratishtha-legs, basis or foundation, feet on which Brahma-vidya or knowledge of Brahman rests or stands. This knowledge has firm basis in those persons only who possess Tapas, etc.

When austerity, self-restraint, etc., exist, knowledge is firmly seated, just as a man goes about steadily with his legs.

As the Vedas throw light on the knowledge of Karma, as the Supplementary scriptures (Vedangas) protect the Vedas, they are called the legs of the knowledge of Brahman. The study of the Vedas helps one to attain the knowledge of Brahman. The understanding and application of the Vedas are effected through the Vedangas or the six limbs of Vedas.

Ayatanam-abode; Satyam-truth or the true which remains unchanged through all times, i.e., Brahman.

Truth is freedom from deceit and fraud in speech, mind or deed. Knowledge of Brahman will arise only in a person who is free from conceit and fraud in speech, mind and deed, who is good-natured, and not in deceitful men who are of Asuric or diabolical nature. The Sruti also says: ‘Knowledge of Brahman does not arise in a man who is deceitful, and utters falsehood. ‘Therefore, it is said that Truth is the abode or resting place of Knowledge.

Truth is already implied in austerity, sefl-restraint, etc., as the ‘leg on which Knowledge stands.’ Why is it separately mentioned again as the abode or resting place of Knowledge? This is to show that Truth excels others as an aid to Knowledge; for the Smriti says: ‘If a thousand Asvamedha sacrifices and Truth are weighed in a balance, one Truth spoked will outweigh the thousand sacrifices.’

Links
Various resources on the Kenopanishad
Upanishad Series – Kena Upanishad Commentary by Swami Chinmayananda