ॐ आप्यायन्तु ममाङ्गानि वाक्प्राणश्चक्षुः
श्रोत्रमथो बलमिन्द्रियाणि च सर्वाणि ।
सर्वं ब्रह्मौपनिषदं
माऽहं ब्रह्म निराकुर्यां मा मा ब्रह्म
निराकरोदनिराकरणमस्त्वनिराकरणं मेऽस्तु ।
तदात्मनि निरते य
उपनिषत्सु धर्मास्ते मयि सन्तु ते मयि सन्तु ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
oṃ āpyāyantu mamāṅgāni vākprāṇaścakṣuḥ
śrotramatho balamindriyāṇi ca sarvāṇi .
sarvaṃ brahmaupaniṣadaṃ
mā’haṃ brahma nirākuryāṃ mā mā brahma
nirākarodanirākaraṇamastvanirākaraṇaṃ me’stu .
tadātmani nirate ya
upaniṣatsu dharmāste mayi santu te mayi santu .
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ..
Om. May my limbs, speech, vital force (prana), eyes, ears, strength, and all senses be nourished.
All this (the manifest universe) is the Brahman described in the Upanishads. May I never deny Brahman. May Brahman never deny me. May there be no denial at all. Let there be no denial for me.
May all the virtues described in the Upanishads reside in me, who is absorbed in the Atman (Self). May they reside in me.
Om. Peace! Peace! Peace!
Kenopanishad Introduction
Kenopanishad Invocation
Chapter 1 – Verse 1
Chapter 1 – Verse 2
Chapter 1 – Verse 3
Chapter 1 – Verse 4
Chapter 1 – Verse 5
Chapter 1 – Verse 6
Chapter 1 – Verse 7
Chapter 1 – Verse 8
Chapter 1 – Verse 9
Chapter 2 – Verse 1
Chapter 2 – Verse 2
Chapter 2 – Verse 3
Chapter 2 – Verse 4
Chapter 2 – Verse 5
Chapter 3 – Verse 1
Chapter 3 – Verse 2
Chapter 3 – Verse 3
Chapter 3 – Verse 4
Chapter 3 – Verse 5
Chapter 3 – Verse 6
Chapter 3 – Verse 7
Chapter 3 – Verse 8
Chapter 3 – Verse 9
Chapter 3 – Verse 10
Chapter 3 – Verse 11
Chapter 3 – Verse 12
Chapter 4 – Verse 1
Chapter 4 – Verse 2
Chapter 4 – Verse 3
Chapter 4 – Verse 4
Chapter 4 – Verse 5
Chapter 4 – Verse 6
Chapter 4 – Verse 7
Chapter 4 – Verse 8
Chapter 4 – Verse 9
Kenopanishad Closing Prayer
Meaning and Commentary:
- Invocation for Protection and Blessings: This verse is a prayer seeking the protection and nourishment of all bodily limbs (mamāṅgāni) and faculties (vāk – speech, prāṇa – vital force, cakṣuḥ – eyes, śrotram – ears, and indriyāṇi – all senses). It is a traditional way to begin any activity or study session by invoking divine grace for strength and clarity.
- Acknowledgement of Brahman: The verse acknowledges that everything in the universe, including our own selves, is an expression of Brahman as described in the Upanishads. It affirms the non-dualistic philosophy that sees Brahman as the ultimate reality underlying all existence.
- Non-Denial of Brahman: The prayer emphasizes a commitment to not deny Brahman (ma mā brahma nirākarod), reflecting a surrender to the cosmic order and the truth revealed in the Upanishads.
- Request for Virtues: The verse concludes with a request for the virtues (dharmāḥ) described in the Upanishads to reside in the practitioner who is absorbed in the Atman (Self). This signifies a desire for spiritual qualities to manifest within oneself through the study and practice of the Upanishadic teachings.
Significance:
- Spiritual Preparation: Reciting this verse at the beginning of spiritual practices or study sessions is believed to invoke divine blessings, clarity of mind, and protection of all faculties.
- Philosophical Foundation: It reinforces the philosophical underpinning of Advaita Vedanta, emphasizing the unity of Brahman and the aspiration to realize one’s identity with the Self (Atman).
- Ethical Orientation: By seeking the virtues described in the Upanishads, the verse also underscores the ethical and moral dimensions of spiritual growth and self-realization.
In essence, this verse from the Upanishads encapsulates a profound spiritual aspiration for protection, knowledge, and alignment with the ultimate reality, Brahman.
Kena Upanishad – – Kena-Invocation – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Meaning and Commentary by Adi Shankaracharya (Sankara Bhashya) and Swami Sivananda – Kena-Invocation