The 5 koshas
The
5 koshas are the sheaths that clothes the soul:atma in Sanskrit.
In
Lalitha shasranamam,the most revered hymn collection in the Hindu sacred literature
for praising the Goddess, there is a mention of Goddess residing in the 5
koshas. : Panchakoshanthara Sthitha. In other words, God who resides in
everything also pervades in the 5 clothes of the soul.
1. Annamayya Kosha
2. Pranamaya Kosha
3. Manomaya Kosha
4. Vijnanamaya Kosha (Wisdom)
The Wisdom sheath
5. Anandamaya Kosha
The Blissful sheath
Atma is clothed and hidden by these 5
sheaths.
Annamaya kosha which is the physical
body of the bones, muscles and blood is nourished from the food.
Prana shakthi is something more than circulation, or biological cycle in the body. It is like vitality flow in the body. The Chinese have a concept of CHI, which seems similar to the concept of Prana SHAKTHI.
Prana shakthi is able to control the annamaya kosha.
The mind plays a big role in controlling the prana shakthi.
Wisdom (Realisation) also regulates the lower levels of the sheaths.
It is very interesting to note that the WISDOM is not part of the manomaya kosha.
WISDOM is not something that exits in the same level as mind plane. It is one step higher.
Says Swami Vivekananda, an Indian/Hindu philosopher, “Mind is the great instrument for using prana. Mind is material. Behind the mind is the Atman which takes hold of prana. Prana is the driving power of the world and can be seen in every manifestation of life. The body is mortal and the mind is mortal, both being compounds, must die. Behind all is the Atman which never dies. The Atman is pure intelligence controlling and directing prana.”
Modern Science might have mistaken the SUBCONSCIOUS MIND to be the VIJANAMAYA KOSHA. However, the power of the VIJANAMAYA sheath remains to be tapped fully.
The wisdom, the vijanamaya kosha could be regarded as an INTUTION, or a VISION that even intellect is not able to comprehend.
The blissful sheath is something closest to the ATMA, and is truer to the reality of ATMA.
Reading List:
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda: Volume 1
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda: Volume 2
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda: Volume 3
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda: Volume 4
Swami Vivekananda: The Living Vedanta
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