Kena Upanishad 3.5
beginner
तदभ्यद्रवत्तमभ्यवदत्कोऽसीत्यग्निर्वा अहमस्मीत्यब्रवीज्जातवेदा वा अहमस्मीति ॥
tad abhyadravat tam abhyavadat ko 'sīty agnir vā aham asmīty abravīj jātavedā vā aham asmīti ||
"He ran to It. It asked him: "Who are you?" He replied: "I am Agni. I am Jatavedas, the all-knower.""
What This Means:
Agni approached the mysterious being. When asked "Who are you?" he proudly declared his identity and titles. He defined himself by his role and power.
Going Deeper:
The question "Who are you?" is the fundamental inquiry. Agni answers with his function and name — essentially saying "I am what I do." But is your identity really your function? This is the question the story explores.
How To Apply This:
When someone asks "Who are you?" what do you say? Usually job, name, roles. But are you really just a collection of functions? What remains when all roles are stripped away?
Key Sanskrit Terms:
Ko asi= Who are you?Aham asmi= I am
#identity#self-definition#pride#roles