Both āpo and kam are hurriedly translated as ‘water’ in English versions of this shlöka. They are actually both ‘first’ emanations. Due to the desire to be, the infinite One expresses duality, right here the bifurcation of the internal mind and the external manifestation happens. āpo thus is the outward pervading matter, the plasma that is synonymous with arka or the very essence of energy ; kam is the expansion of thought within, turning into the seeds of the language , like Bhartrhari’s sphöta. It germinates the links of words and sentences, helping to precipitate the very first desire into action.

◊       The very first sparśa ‘ka’ is the vedic aphorism for Prajāpati a reflection of Brahman. Śatpath Brāhmana simply asks – “Who is the Unknown ?” and since kah ( k: ) in Sanskrit means ‘who ?’ this then is the obvious ‘name’ for that which cannot be named.

Now Chāndogya Upaniśad IV.10.5 establishes the duality of Brahman, the Unknown’s desire to be by saying that…..kambrahma, khambrahma……te ha+ūcuh+yad+vāva kamtad+eva khamyad+eva kham tad+eva kamity…