SWAMI DAYANANDA SARASWATI gives insight into the prayer at the start of the Kenopanishad

This is the prayer verse for Kenopanishad. Every upanishad begins with a prayer. Generally, the prayer of the upanishads belonging to a given Veda is the same. The Kenopanishad is from the Sama Veda and all the upanishads that belong to Sama Veda will have this prayer….

The Kenopanishad begins with the prayer – pyayantu mamangani…. Let my limbs grow and gain strength. Let them be able to do things that have to be done by them…. This is a prayer in the section of jnana, knowledge. The subject matter decides the nature of the prayer. When I go to a teacher to learn Brahmn, I pray, “May my sense organs all grow well and be healthy,” the health I seek is only for moksha. When there is health, I can pursue knowledge. I can sit and listen to the scriptures. The health has to be conducive because the physical body is considered to be the primary means for acquiring dharma that is, doing karma as well as for gaining moksha.

Aim For Moksha A question may arise here as to whether the jiva is qualified or the body is qualified. The jiva is qualified; every worm is a jiva but a worm’s body is not qualified. This jiva, assuming a human body, or one equivalent to a human body, has the faculty of choice. Once the choice is there, then the purusharthas come to the fore. Then dharma becomes a purushartha and moksha becomes the purushartha.

The jiva in the human body is the one who is an adhikarin, one who is qualified, and therefore, the adhikari-sariraf is the means for dharma, karma and moksha. That is why it is said elsewhere that it is rare to get a human body – jantunam nara-janma durlabham. If moksha is not accomplished in this human body, then this human body is a nuisance, because it gives rise to all our complexes. In this body alone, one accumulates more and more punya and papa, thereby perpetuating the samsara. At least if moksha is attempted in this janma, that is a step forward. It will carry over to the next janma. One can only make an attempt; everything else is automatically taken care of.

The prayer has two aspects. It is a prayer for the vriddhi or growth and health of all the organs. It is also a prayer that the activities of all the organs be mature enough to help me gain knowledge of Brahmn. Let them not be active in a manner that is not conducive for gaining the knowledge of Brahmn.

The sense organs themselves do not disturb; the disturbance comes in the form of the mind’s fancy for a particular enjoyment caused by one’s sense appetites. Even though gaining Brahmn is not accomplished through perception or action, still, all these organs are necessary; ears, for instance, to listen to the shastra, and so on.

All Is Brahmn Saarvam Brahma aupanishadam: Everything that is here is Brahmn, and this Brahmn is revealed through the upanishad. In the Mahabharata, there is a beautiful episode to illustrate this fact.

When Bhima goes in search of an exotic flower, saugandhika, in the Himalayas, he comes across an old monkey. Upon Bhima’s order to move, the monkey says, “I am too old, I cannot move; just jump over me and go.” Bhima says, “I cannot jump over you because paramatman, who is gained through knowledge, is pervading you. I cannot show disregard to nirgunam brahma paramatma by jumping over you. If I were not taught, then I could do that. In fact, I can cross a mountain, just as Hanuman crossed the ocean.” He didn’t know he was talking to Hanuman. Hanuman smiled and said, “That is good.”

How does one know Brahmn is everything? One comes to hear or read about Brahmn being everything and the knowledge of Brahmn is moksha. Therefore, one wants to know Brahmn. Brahmn being aupanishadam, one must necessarily study the upanishad. Brahmn that is everything becomes the worshipful Lord and the prayer is based upon this knowledge about Brahmn being everything….

Aum Shanti, Shanti, Shanti The prayer ends with Aum shanti, shanti, shanti: Let there be freedom from all obstacles. Shanti is invoked three times here for warding off tapa-traya, obstructions from three sources adhidaivika, adhibhautika and adhyatmika.  The first one is an obstacle over which I have no control, like an earthquake and so on. The second one is from sources I have no immediate control on, like people around who can cause problems. The third source is myself.

These are obstructions centred on one’s own body, senses and the mind. Let all of them be adequately blessed so that I can gain this knowledge.