Prayer of the Day

Prayer from Kena Upanishad

ॐ

कॆनॆषितं पतति प्रॆषितं मनः
    कॆन प्राणः प्रथमः प्रैति युक्तः ।
कॆनॆषितां वाचमिमां वदन्ति
    चक्षुः श्रॊत्रं क उ दॆवॊ युनक्ति ॥ १ ॥

ॐ

Hymn as Romanized text

 
Om

kEnEShitaM patati prEShitaM manaH
    kEna prANaH prathamaH praiti yuktaH |
kEnEShitAM vAchamimAM vadanti
    chakShuH shrOtraM ka u dEvO yunakti || 1 ||

(kEna iShitaM patati prEShitaM manaH
    kEna prANaH prathamaH praiti yuktaH |
kEna IShitAM vAcham imAM vadanti
    chakShuH shrOtraM ka u dEvO yunakti || )

Om

Meaning of the Prayer Hymn:

 Driven by what does the mind descend on things?
Enjoined with what does the vital breath operate?
Driven by what the such words are spoken?
What divine force is directing the eyes, ears?

 Notes: 

1. kEna - by what?; iShita - driven; patati - descend; prEShitam - set in motion;
yukta - enjoined; yunakti - direct.

2. This Kena upanishad is part of the Talavakara Brahmana
which is one of the Brahmanas of the Samaveda.
Since this upanishad starts with the question word Kena,
it is called Kena upanishad.

3. This verse is the problem definition which the further verses 
of the upanishad is going to deal with. The most important aspect is
defining the question, which is done here.

4. The seeker is asking the question what is that divine force
that makes the internal faculties like mind and the external
faculties like eyes, the vital breath and the refined speech 
function?