The concept of "Ka Rngiew" in Khasi philosophy is difficult to translate. "Ka Rngiew" has to be understood and studied with depth and insight. Here are a few excerpts in Khasi and English
from Professor Dr. Fabian Lyngdoh:
Їa kine ki bynta la jied lyngkot na ka kot Ka Thymmei Pyrkhat U Khasi (2018) ba la thoh da i Dr. Fabian Lyngdoh.
"Man la u briew u don la ka rngiew. Katkum u H. O. Mawrie, u Blei u la ai ïa ka rngiew tang ïa u briew ym ïa kiwei pat ki jingthaw, bad dei ka rngiew kaba pynïapher ïa u briew na u mrad. Ka rngiew ka dei ka jaka ne ka position u briew kum uba don mynsiem hapdeng kiwei pat ki para briew ba don mynsiem bad hapdeng kiwei pat ki kynja mynsiem, kum ki ksuid, ki snaïap bad ki blei ki dken."
"Ka dei ka dur mynsiem (spiritual personality) jong u briew. U Blei u la thaw ïa kiei kiei baroh bad u la buh bynta bad sam bynta ha la ki jaka jaka. Man la u briew u dei ban pynneh (maintain) ïa kane ka jaka hapdeng ki bor mynsiem babun. Ki bor mynsiem khamtam eh ki ksuid, ki kwah ban pynpra ïa kane ka jingpynryntih (equilibrium) bad ki shim kabu man ki daw ban khynñiat noh їa u briew na ka jaka (position) ba u don, lane ban pynsniewdur їa ka rngiew jong u. U briew u ba la jem rngiew na kano kano ka daw u don ha ka position bym thikna (unstable equilibrium)".
"Ban pynksan rngiew їa u la dei ban pynshong ne buh biang їa u ha ka jaka ba u ju don, kum u briew ba don mynsiem, uba la thaw da u Blei hi, uba don kata kata ka kyrteng, uba dei na kata kata ka kur, ba la kha na kata kata ka kmie, u ba dei u kñi kita kita, u para ne pyrsa jong kita kita; u lyngdoh, u basan ne u syiem ba la suid la shor bad kumta ter ter, kat kum ka position jong u ha ka mariang. U briew u ba biang ka rngiew u don ka daw (reason), ka tynrai (origin) bad ka jingiadei (relationship) ha kane ka mariang."
"Ka mynsiem u briew ka dei ka maïan jinglong (being) jong u ka ban neh junom wat la ka met ka їap noh, bad ka rngiew pat ka dei ka dur ne ka jingpynpaw (manifestation) jong kata ka mynsiem. Ka mynsiem kam paw ha kano kano ka dur ne ka sur. Ki dak ki shin jong u briew ha ka mariang kum ka dur, ka kyrteng, ka sur bad ka jingiadei para briew ki pynlong ïa ka rngiew u briew. Haba ka mynsiem u briew uba la ïap ka wan paw ha ka dur ne ha ka sur hapdeng ki briew kiba im, ki Khasi ki ngeit ba ka dei ka rngiew briew bad kim ju ong ka dei ka mynsiem briew namar ba ïa ka mynsiem ym lah ban ïohi ne ban iohsngew.….Te hangne ngï ïohi ba ka rngiew u briew ka dei ka jinglong ne ka shap mynsiem u briew (spiritual personality) kaba don la ka jaka, ka dur, ka sur, ka kyrteng bad ka jingïadei parabriew ne ka jingïadei bad ka mariang."
"U briew ha ka mariang u thaw dur ïalade ne ïa la ka rngiew (spiritual personality or spiritual identity) man la ka sngi lyngba ki jingїadei jong u bad kiei kiei baroh kiba shabar na u. Ka rngiew, kaba dei ka dur-maïan (ethereal image) jong u naduh met haduh mynsiem, kan shim dur ne shongdor katkum ki jingleh ne jingïakynduh jong u ha ka jingim bad kita kiba shabar na u."
The following excerpts have been taken from an article by Dr. Fabian Lyngdoh in The Shillong Times, dated 23rd November 2017.
"According to Khasi belief, man is a physical as well as a spiritual being who has a unique position and status among other beings. Every human being has 'ka rngiew' which may be conceived of as the spiritual personality or identity of the body and the spirit combined. 'Ka rngiew' means the place or position or status of each human being, man or woman, among other human beings and among other spiritual beings like 'ki ksuid' (demons), 'ki puri' (nymphs), 'ki blei ki dken' (gods and goddesses), ki sna-iap' (ghosts) and other beings, physical and spiritual within the cosmos. It is not man's personality in the social frame of reference, but it is his personality that is balanced in the spiritual frame of reference. When a person is in this balance, the Khasis say that he/she is 'dang eh-rngiew' (spiritual personality intact).."
"The Khasis speak of a person who is 'u ba la jem-rngiew', meaning that he is out of position or in unstable equilibrium. In that unstable position a man's spiritual status is degraded or disfigured and evil may befall on him. To bring him back to his original status it requires first of all his own personal resolution, and second, the help of others especially through religious rites. These religious rites reflect the love and concern that his clan members have for him/her. The process of recovery according to the Khasis is to re-establish a person's status as a human being with body and soul, created by God Himself, who has such and such a recognized name given and confirmed in the ceremony of "ka jer ka thoh', belonging to such and such a clan, born from such and such a mother, who holds such and such a position in society, etc., the more we can recall of his/her various aspects of identity and human relationships, the better it would be. A man 'ba dang eh rngiew' (whose spiritual personality still intact), ha 'ka tynrai' (origin), 'ka dew' (reason to exist), and ka jingïadei' (relationships) is part of the human community and the entire cosmos."
"Not only the physical environment and the human society, but the entire cosmos is understood by the Khasis as the medium where human beings live with their respective 'Ka rngiew', like water is to the fishes. Man cannot be a human being without 'ka rngiew' which is his overall personality, physical, mental and spiritual as recognized by his fellow human beings, by all creatures animate and inanimate and also recognized by spiritual beings. It is on this reason that the Khasis believe that man should not stand against nature, but adjust himself with it according to the requirements of his human existence."
"Ka Rngiew" forms an important aspect of Khasi philosophy. The concept touches on the metaphysical nature of human existence. Thus, it will be gratifying to understand the many layers of meaning within this enriching concept. ✨✨✨
Sources:
🟡 https://theshillongtimes.com 2017/11/23/182286/
🟡 Ka Thymmei Pyrkhat U Khasi (2018) by Fabian Lyngdoh.