Kem Chho? केनेषितं।

How could fire fires the fire?
How could fire lights the fire?
How could pincers holds the hand that is holding it?
How could Eyes see it’s eye?
How could ears hear it’s ear?
How could nose smell it’s nose?
How could mind think of it’s mind?
How could the 5 action senses and 5 knowledge senses realise the source of their light/power/strength?

HE is not object of seeing. HE is no an object of hearing. HE is not an object of thinking. Therefore, when to describe HE, the BRAHMAN, the mouth shuts, the eyes close, and the mind goes in silence.

One of the 108 Upanishads is Kenopnishada. A Upanishad that presents the straight question and straight answer. It was probably composed in 1st millennium before the Buddhist and Jain cannons. 

The first verse starts with the word केनेषितं। by whom? 

केनेषितं पतति प्रेषितं मनः; केन प्राणः प्रथमः प्रैति युक्तः ।
केनेषितां वाचमिमां वदन्ति; चक्षुः श्रोत्रं क उ देवो युनक्ति ॥ १ ॥

(In simple words: By whom the mind thinks? By whom we breath? By whom, we speak? By which deva, the ears hear and eyes see?)

Kena suggests that Brahman is not Upashya, therefore it can’t be worshipped. It is that which hears the sound in ears, sees the view in eyes, speaks the words of speech, smells the aroma in breath, comprehends the meaning in thought. The Atman-Brahman is in man, not that which one worships outside.

And we follow the wisdom of Kenopanishada in our day to day life without understanding it’s meaning. Gujarati will say kem chho?, Hindi will say, kaise ho? Marathi will say, aapan kasa ahet?, English will say, how are you? Everybody is asking the first question of Kenopanishada? By whom, with whose power, you are in existence? And we, instead of realising the Brahman, reply as per the condition and mood of our senses. 

Therefore, next time when someone asks you, kem chho, kaise ho, kasa aahet, how are you, etc; be awake, take a deep dive into the Ocean of Brahman and think, केनेषितं। HE is beyond thinking. HE is YOU, अहं ब्रह्मास्मि। अखंड, एकरस, अत्र तत्र सर्वत्र। 

ऊँ शांति। शांति।। शांति : ।।।

Punamchand

4 January 2018