Acharya Prashant explains that the mind is merely a path and can never be the destination. While the mind is used to contemplate the Brahman, one must not mistake the act of thinking for the Brahman itself. He emphasizes that as long as one is thinking, even if the subject is the Brahman, one has not truly known it. The mind's function is to move, and it should be allowed to think, but one must not take these thoughts or oneself seriously. He clarifies that knowing 'about' the Brahman through scriptures is easy, but it is entirely different from 'knowing' the Brahman. Those who claim to know it often do not, as the ultimate truth is beyond speech and description. Discussing the structure of the Kena Upanishad, Acharya Prashant notes that while the first two chapters establish the core philosophy, the third and fourth chapters use mythological stories to illustrate how these truths apply to the human mind. Figures like Indra, Vayu, and Agni represent different aspects and qualities of the mind that often fall into the trap of ego and pride. These stories serve to remind the seeker that the individual is not the 'doer'. Even the simplest actions, like burning a straw or moving a particle of dust, are not done by one's own independent power. He concludes by reiterating the central theme of the Kena Upanishad: 'by whom' is everything being done? The individual is merely a medium, not the primary cause. The tongue speaks and the mind thinks only because of the power that lies behind them. The delusion of the mind is its belief in its own agency and doership. By recognizing that one is not the cause but a medium, the pride of the mind is dismantled, aligning the seeker with the truth that the source of all action lies beyond the individual self.
