ब्रह्म ह देवेभ्यो विजिग्ये तस्य ह ब्रह्मणो विजये देवा अमहीयन्त ॥ 1॥
Brahman once achieved a victory for the sake of the gods, and in that victory of Brahman, the gods grew arrogant, thinking the glory was theirs alone.
त ऐक्षन्तास्माकमेवायं-विँजयो-ऽस्माकमेवाय-म्महिमेति । तद्धैषां-विँजज्ञौ तेभ्यो ह प्रादुर्बभूव तन्न व्यजानत किमिदं-यँक्षमिति ॥ 2॥
They thought, "This victory is ours, and this glory is ours." Brahman, knowing this, appeared before them; but they did not recognize what this mysterious Being was.
ते-ऽग्निमब्रुवञ्जातवेद एतद्विजानीहि किमिदं-यँक्षमिति तथेति ॥ 3॥
They said to Agni, "O Jataveda, go and find out what this mysterious Being is." He replied, "So be it."
तदभ्यद्रवत्तमभ्यवदत्को-ऽसीत्यग्निर्वा अहमस्मीत्यब्रवीज्जातवेदा वा अहमस्मीति ॥ 4॥
He rushed toward It, and the Being asked him, "Who are you?" He replied, "I am Agni, known as Jataveda."
तस्मिन्स्त्वयि किं-वीँर्यमित्यपीदं सर्व-न्दहेयं-यँदिद-म्पृथिव्यामिति ॥ 5॥
The Being asked, "What power resides in you?" Agni replied, "I can burn everything whatsoever that exists on this earth."
तस्मै तृण-न्निदधावेतद्दहेति । तदुपप्रेयाय सर्वजवेन तन्न शशाक दग्धुं स तत एव निववृते नैतदशकं-विँज्ञातुं-यँदेतद्यक्षमिति ॥ 6॥
The Being placed a straw before him and said, "Burn this." Agni rushed at it with all his might, but could not burn it. He returned from there and said, "I could not discover what this mysterious Being is."
अथ वायुमब्रुवन्वायवेतद्विजानीहि किमेतद्यक्षमिति तथेति ॥ 7॥
Then they said to Vayu, "O Vayu, go and find out what this mysterious Being is." He replied, "So be it."
तदभ्यद्रवत्तमभ्यवदत्को-ऽसीति वायुर्वा अहमस्मीत्यब्रवीन्मातरिश्वा वा अहमस्मीति ॥ 8॥
He rushed toward It, and the Being asked him, "Who are you?" He replied, "I am Vayu, known as Matarishvan."
तस्मिन्स्त्वयि किं-वीँर्यमित्यपीदं सर्वमाददीय यदिद-म्पृथिव्यामिति ॥ 9॥
The Being asked, "What power resides in you?" Vayu replied, "I can blow away everything whatsoever that exists on this earth."
तस्मै तृण-न्निदधावेतदादत्स्वेति तदुपप्रेयाय सर्वजवेन तन्न शशाकादातुं स तत एव निववृते नैतदशकं-विँज्ञातुं-यँदेतद्यक्षमिति ॥ 10॥
The Being placed a straw before him and said, "Take this up." Vayu rushed at it with all his might, but could not move it. He returned from there and said, "I could not discover what this mysterious Being is."
अथेन्द्रमब्रुवन्मघवन्नेतद्विजानीहि किमेतद्यक्षमिति तथेति तदभ्यद्रवत्तस्मात्तिरोदधे ॥ 11॥
Then the gods said to Indra, "O Maghavan, ascertain what this mysterious being is." He agreed and rushed toward it, but the being vanished from his sight.
स तस्मिन्नेवाकाशे स्त्रियमाजगाम बहुशोभमानामुमां हैमवती-न्ताग्ंहोवाच किमेतद्यक्षमिति ॥ 12॥
In that very space, he encountered a woman of radiant beauty, Uma, the daughter of Himavat. He asked her, "What is this mysterious being?"
॥ इति केनोपनिषदि तृतीयः खण्डः ॥
