On Narayan Upanishad: The secret of the Rishi

Following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

Question (Q): Sir, the very fact that the Rishi said, “Naham Kalasya”, probably, he could also have had an occasion where Koham started. When he started asking Koham, only then this process of negation started. So, how to explain this process?

Acharya Prashant (AP): How did the Rishi come to that? That’s what you are asking?

Listener (L): Yes.

AP: It’s hurt, nothing else. It’s hurt. Life hurts all of us, does it not? Anybody here who has not been hurt? Anybody here who is not carrying wounds?

L: Several times.

AP: Several times. Right? In fact, every day, daily. The ego is a wound, a wound that doesn’t heal. A festering sore. Is it not? Is it not? Most of us learn to live with the perpetual sense of hurt. Most of us become numb towards our hurt. We say, “This is life, this has to be accepted.” And that’s what we also teach to our children.

The Rishi is one who says, “No, life was not meant to be suffering.” He says, “No, I do not believe that I was born to face hurt, to bleed, to tremble in fear, to be suspicious, to be struggling in doubt.” He says, “No! No! No! I do not like this!” Like kids who stamp their feet. “I do not like this…