Who Art Thou

Flesh, blood, nor mind, nor am I brain well-lined, I'm not what I know, nor am I ego, Nor yet five senses can claim what ‘I' am, I'm not five elements as wisdom said— Ether nor space, water nor ever earth, Fire nor yet air, nor am I known by birth, I've a father, nor ever a mother, Nor have I foes, friends nor yet a brother, I've only a tag tied to me as name, By any a name still I'm all the same, Ye ask when who art thou, what should I say? A formless me can scarce a finger lay. Eternal joy and bliss, I'm consciousness, And all pervasive, I'm auspiciousness. _____________________________________________ When Shankaracharya first approached, his guru-to-be asked, ‘who are you? ' And he, still a little boy of barely eight years at that time, answered in chaste Sanskrit known as verses on atman (shivoham, shivoham) . The first four lines have internal rhymes; the rest are couplets. _____________________________________________ Sonnets | 01.11.13 |