Upaniṣads · Kena 3.10
॥
Devanāgarī
तस्मै तृणं निदधाव् एतद् आदत्स्वेति ।
तद् उपप्रेयाय सर्वजवेन तन् न शशाकादातुं स तत एव निववृते नैतद् अशकं विज्ञातुं यद् एतद् यक्षम् इति ॥
Transliteración (IAST)
tasmai tṛṇaṃ nidadhāv etad ādatsveti |
tad upapreyāya sarvajavena tan na śaśākādātuṃ sa tata eva nivavṛte naitad aśakaṃ vijñātuṃ yad etad yakṣam iti ||
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
तस्मैtasmaito him; before him
तृणम्tṛṇama blade of grass; a stalk
निदधौnidadhaulaid down; set
एतत्etatthis; it
आदत्स्वādatsvatake it (imperative of ā-√dā); lift it; carry it off
इतिitithus; saying
तत्tatto it; towards this
उपप्रेयायupapreyāyaapproached; drew near
सर्वजवेनsarvajavenawith all speed; with all his force
तत्tatit; the blade
नnanot; no
शशाकśaśākahe was able; he had the power
आदातुम्ādātumto take (infinitive of ā-√dā); to lift; to carry off
सःsaḥhe; Vāyu
ततः एवtataḥ evafrom there itself; straight from that place
निववृतेnivavṛtereturned; withdrew
नnanot; no
एतत्etatthis; him
अशकम्aśakamI was able; I had the power
विज्ञातुम्vijñātumto find out; to identify
यत्yatwhat; which
एतत्etatthis; here
यक्षम्yakṣammysterious being; wondrous apparition
इतिitithus; saying
Traducción
He laid a blade of grass before him: "Take it." Vāyu made for it with all his speed — and could not take it. He returned [empty-handed]: "I could not find out what this yakṣa is."
Versión
7d1b0dd783a1 · publicado 26 jul 2026, 19:28:41 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
The second trial repeats the first word for word — and doubles the lesson: not only heat but motion too is powerless without the higher leave. A straw that the wind which carries off worlds could not lift is an image impossible to forget: the whole might of the elements hangs by a thread of the Lord's will, and that thread is an image not of the fragility of the bond but of its absoluteness.
Note that the parable takes nothing away from the gods: their powers are real, their rank is honourable. One thing only is taken away — the illusion of owning the power. So too this knowledge does not command a man to become weak; it commands him to remember whose power is in his hands — and then the power itself is purified: a capacity acknowledged as a gift serves; a capacity appropriated enslaves.
Two failures in a row prepare the turning point: the third to go will be the king of the gods — and with him the story will take another course.