The Kena Upanishad
We’re almost done studying the Kena Upanishad in my Vedanta class. The Kena Upanishad is the third upanishad we’re reading (after the Katha and Mundaka) and the 5th Vedantic text (including the Bhagavad Gita and Tattvabodha). This text delves into the nature of Brahman, and through the dialogue format common to Hindu scriptures, helps the reader understand that the Self is Brahman. For the last few weeks we’ve been discussing a story that comes in the third canto of the text. It’s a story about the demi gods becoming proud of their strength after winning a battle. In this story the Guru appears as a woman, Uma Devi. This story is relevant during Navratri, when we worship the various manifestations of Durga. I was also pleasantly surprised to find a literary example of a female Guru.