5 Koshas
Human being is composed of 5 Koshas with the Supreme Self (Atman) at the core as shown in the diagram below: Kosha means material layers or sheaths. We will look at each of these Koshas in detail.
Annamaya Kosha (Food Sheath):
This is the gross physical body as it is nourished by food. This sheath consists of 5 organs of perception (Sound, Sight, Smell, Taste & Touch) & 5 organs of action {(Speech, Hands, Feet, Organ of Excretion (Anus) & Organ of Procreation (Genitals)}. The first step towards spirituality is non-attachment and identification to this physical body or Annamaya Kosha.
Pranamaya Kosha (Vital Air or Energy Sheath):
This Kosha is made up of five bodily functions known as Pranas, as it is related to the air we breathe and it energizes our body & mind. The five Prana faculties are Prana, Apana, Samana, Vyana & Udana as detailed in one of my earlier blogs on Five Elements. There are an additional five more Upa-Pranas or Sub-Pranas as well. This sheath controls the food sheath and makes the physical body healthy.
Prana is life force energy and not just air that we breathe; it is subtle energy, hence the term Pranayama (Breath control) used in Yoga. Yogic literature also mentions 72,000 subtle pathways (not visible) called Nadis along which the Prana moves and interconnects with the chakras in our body. These 72,000 Nadis comes forth from three basic nadis in the spine called Ida (Left), PIngala (right) and Sushumna (central), so there are 72,000 ways the Prana moves in our body. Kundalini rises in the Sushumna Nadi only.
Manomaya Kosha (Mental Sheath):
This Kosha encompasses the Mind. This is subtler than the above sheath as it controls both Food & Vital Air sheaths. When the mind is calm & composed the physiological functions are efficient and when it is agitated, both the vital air & food sheaths are affected. The Mind is difficult to control as it wanders a lot. It consists of likes & dislikes, urges, emotions & other passions. It slips into past & present and makes us anxious. It hardly remains in the PRESENT and causes both stress & relief.
Vignanamaya Kosha (Intellectual Sheath):
This Kosha comprises the Intellect, the faculty to think, reason, discriminate, Judge, contemplate and FOCUS. The intellect controls the Food, Vital Air & Mental sheaths. The senses in the physical body gets attracted to sense objects. The mind wants immediate pleasures. It is the Intellect that controls & regulates the Mind, Pranas & Senses. During meditation, it is the intellect that is used to “still” our wavering Mind.
Note: Intellect & Intelligence do not mean the same. Intelligence is acquired thorough skills & knowledge drawn from the external sources like schools, text-books & teachers. It gives us knowledge in a particular field of our expertise. This does not strengthen our Intellect. Intellect on the other hand is the faculty of understanding concepts, analyzing, reasoning & thinking logically and understand complex ideas. When the Intellect is weak, one can fall prey to the vagaries of the Mind which then overpowers the Intellect.
Anandamaya Kosha (Bliss Sheath):
This Bliss Kosha comprises of inherent, individual nature of every being called “Vasanas”. Vasanas are subtle impressions which the individual soul carries when the Atman separates from the body upon death. It constitutes the “Karana Sharira” or “Causal Body” and associated with deep sleep and in this state this Kosha is fully manifested. During this deep sleep, these Vasanas are un-manifest. We then enter the peace & Bliss state. (not to be confused with supreme bliss of self-realization or Brahman).
Conclusion:
Though Om or Atman is shown in the center of the above diagram, surrounded by the five Koshas, OM is all pervading. OM/Atman cannot be confined. So it should be understood that the Koshas are just masking the knowledge of Atma – our true self. You peel these Koshas of ignorance to reveal the Atman – your true Self/Brahman, because each of these Koshas is the point of confusion.
3 Bodies: Causal, Subtle & Gross
Every human being has three constituent bodies known as Gross, Subtle & Causal bodies. These are formed from the 5 sheaths discussed above.
Causal Body (Karana Sharira):
This causal body contains Vasanas which are a bundle of stored desires & impressions from our past lives in the un-manifest form. Vasanas manifest through gross, subtle & causal bodies as waker, dreamer & deep sleeper respectively. This causal body is the “cause” or “seed” of the subtle & gross body. Bliss sheath is resides in the causal body.
Subtle Body (Sukshma or LInga Sharira):
Subtle part of the vital air sheath together with the mental & intellectual sheaths form subtle body which comprises of thought, emotion & desire. A man’s subtle body consists of his Mind (Mana) & Intellect (Mahat) ie. his entire thoughts! This subtle body is responsible for creation of his gross body and the world that he experiences. As his thoughts, so his world. (In Mahabharata, Yudhisthira who was a virtuous man saw virtue everywhere, contrary to Duryodhana, who saw vice everywhere). When thoughts are absent there is no world at all. During our deep sleep (Sushupti), there are no thoughts, no world. The Cosmic subtle body called Hiranyagarbha (Golden Womb) – an aggregate of all subtle bodies of all living beings, is said to be the creator of the entire Universe. This creator is Brahma.
Gross Body (Sthula Sharira):
The Food sheath together with the gross part of the vital air sheath form the Gross body. Gross Body is the physical body made up of Five Elements and is subject to Birth, Growth, Decay, Disease & Death. The Gross Body houses both Subtle & Causal Bodies.
To conclude, Causal Body or the “Seed” manifests first as Subtle Body (consisting of thought, emotions & desire) and further manifests as gross body which perceives & acts. In Sanatana Dharma a Human Being is identified with 5 Koshas, 3 Bodies & 3 States of Consciousness (Waking, Dreaming & Deep Sleep).
My next blog will cover these 3 states of Consciousness…
Please watch a short You Tube Video on the Five Sheaths- PanchaKoshas (<click here)