MD (Pead), Ph.D (Yoga Science)Dr. Shamanthakamani Narendran

PANCHA KOSA VIVEKA - THE BASIS OF IAYT

SCIENCE NOW MOVING FROM MATTER TO LIFE

Atman is Conscious Being. Anandamaya is Pure Being, Vijnanamaya is Spiritual existence, Manomaya is mental existence, Pranamaya is astral existence, and Annamaya is physical and material existence.

NATURE OF WORLD OR JAGAT AND ITS RELATION TO BRAHMAN

The stage of reality corresponds to our division as follows:

The dasavatara of Vishnu or ten incarnation of God are the evolution as already described.

Fish symbolise life in water, Tortoise as amphibian, Boar as mammals, Narasimha transitional stage between man and animals, Vamana primitive ancestors of Homo sapiens, Parasurama, pre-agricultural wild hunting man, Sreeram, agricultural age, Sreekrishna development of trades and cities, Budda and Kalki also represent perfection of man's spiritual, mental and material existence.

1. Matsya avatar (fish)

2. Katchya avatar (tortoise)

3. Varaha avatar (wild boar)

4. Nruhsimha avatar (lion)

5. Vamana avatar (dwarf)

6. Parashuram avatar

7. Shri. Rama avatar

8. Shri. Krishna avatar

9. Shri. Buddha avatar

10. Kalki avatar (present)

In yoga system the subtle body corresponds to mental and astral existence, gross body is material existence and individual jivatman is spiritual existence.

Jagrat or waking self is consciousness directed trough the senses.

At this stage self is completely identified with material and astral existence.

This is the stage of sensory knowledge or passionate nature.

Swapna self is comparable to mental existence. At this stage material world or world of senses

are considered as a dream. This means the world appear less real than in

the Jagrat self. The consciousness at this stage is more

centered within than without through the senses.

This is the stage of rational nature.

Actual deep sleep is the stage of unconscious spiritual existence.

Susupti self is comparable to spiritual existence.

Here consciousness is centered more and more within and material world is considered as unreal and neglected.

At this stage contemplative life is more real than the world of objects.

This is the stage of spiritual nature.

Turya is the realised self. This is the state of the self realised man.

Contrasting with deep sleep self this is conscious spiritual existence.

Turya state is the complete expression of the spirit. Here every nature gets its due and nothing is

neglected as unreal. At turya life is lived in its fullness and there is

complete self expression. Now if turya is taken as the spiritual existence of

consious being as human spirit Turya atit is the human spirits awareness as third logos or consious being with innumeable attributes.

The practice of yoga evolved as the process of clearing out the pathways (the psychic channels called nadis) within the body/mind and pranic sheaths.

The false beliefs of the vijnanamaya kosha. The afflictive emotions based on negative

beliefs (kleshas), the samskaras (past cellular imprints and negative conditioning).

Negative karma through the purifying and vivifying agency of the cit-prana or cit-shakti.

The Transition Between Pada II & III

Thus allowing a gradual opening up to and a communion with the source of consciousness and life – of unconditioned citta or principle of primal consciousness to evolve and manifest.

In the broader context of yoga (which is ALL OUR RELATIONS) a three fold "potential" burden of the siddhis can thus be discerned and avoided (all of which are not necessary for the successful practice of yoga).

“When a man’s mind is turned outward, he sees the gross and his mind dwells in the annamaya kosha.

Next is the subtle body. When the mind functions in the subtle body, it dwells in the manomaya kosha and vijnanamaya kosha.

Next comes the karana (casual) body. When the mind goes to the causal body, there is

only bliss – the mind dwells in the anandamaya kosha.

It is the same as the semiconscious state of Chaitanya Deva.

The yoga of dhyana (meditation) and Sri Ramakrishna – looking outwardly and inwardly

Through exceedingly detailed meditations over thousands of hours, the yogis determined that the human body is far more than a configuration of fleshy organs, bones, and fluids.

Composed of five gradients or koshas, literally, "sheaths," with each one more interior and more subtle than the previous one, we are the actual "bridge" from the physical to the spiritual.

Vijnanamaya kosha: The Yogic Anatomy of Human Potentialities

Each sheath exerts a guiding intelligence over the next more dense sheath in the following order: the individual soul and causal body (jiva and anandamaya kosha), the reflective-intellectual body (vijnanamaya kosha), mental-emotional body (manomaya kosha), vital energy body (pranamaya kosha),and the physical body (annamaya kosha).

Through this anatomy of increasingly interior bodies, yoga maps the emotionality and sentient capacities of the intimus itself and thus the way toward deepening our intimacy with one another and the world.

Subtle Bodies: The Yogic Anatomy of Human Potentialities: Through exceedingly detailed meditations over thousands of hours, the yogis determined that the human body is far more than a configuration of fleshy organs, bones, and fluids.

Composed of five gradients or koshas, literally, "sheaths," with each one more interior and more subtle than the previous one, we are the actual "bridge" from the physical to the spiritual.

Each sheath exerts a guiding intelligence over the next more dense sheath in the following order: the individual soul and causal body (jiva and anandamaya kosha), the reflective-intellectual body (vijnanamaya kosha), mental-emotional body (manomaya kosha), vital energy body (pranamaya kosha), and the physical body (annamaya kosha).

Through this anatomy of increasingly interior bodies, yoga maps the emotionality and sentient capacities of the intimus itself and thus the way toward deepening our intimacy with one another and the world.

Subtle body: Sukshma sharira, the nonphysical, astral body or vehicle in which the soul encases itself to function in the Antarloka, or subtle world.

The subtle body includes the pranamaya, manomaya and vijnanamaya koshas if the soul is physically embodied.

It consists of only manomaya and vijnanamaya after death, when pranamaya kosha disintegrates.

Vijnanamaya kosha: Hindu - Hinduism Dictionary on Subtle body

It consists of only vijnanamaya kosha when manomaya kosha is dropped off just before rebirth or when higher evolutionary planes are entered.

Also part of the subtle body are the antahkarana (mental faculty: intellect, instinct and ego - buddhi, manas and ahamkara), the five jnanendriyas (agents of perception: hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell); and the five karmendriyas (agents of action: speech, grasping, movement, excretion and generation).

astral body: The subtle, nonphysical body (sukshma sharira) in which the soul functions in the astral plane, the inner world also called Antarloka.

The astral body includes the pranic sheath (pranamaya kosha), the instinctive-intellectual sheath (manomaya kosha) and the cognitive sheath (vijnanamaya kosha) - with the pranic sheath dropping off at the death of the physical body. See: kosha, soul.

cognition: Knowing; perception. Knowledge reached through intuitive, superconscious faculties rather than through intellect alone.

cognitive body: Vijnanamaya kosha. The most refined sheath of the astral, or subtle, body (sukshma sharira). It is the sheath of higher thought and cognition. See: astral body, kosha.

Cognition

Cognitive body

Brahmacharya is very very essential Even in dreams you must be free from lustful thoughts.

It requires long practice and careful watch over the mind and Indriyas.

Foolish people hastily jump up to the higher courses in Yoga in vain without having this important item which is very useful for spiritual Sadhana.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Vijnanamaya Kosha: Hints On Yoga

Kundalini Yoga

To change something we must alter the energy which creates it.

This fact is true in the practice of Yoga. To bring about positive changes in body and

mind we must understand the energy through which they work.

This is called Prana in Sanskrit, meaning primary energy.

It is sometimes translated as breath or vital force, though it is more than these.

Vijnanamaya kosha: Secrets of the Five Pranas

Individual mind: At the microcosmic level of individual souls, mind is consciousness and its faculties of memory, desire, thought and cognition.

Individual mind is chitta (mind, consciousness) and its three-fold expression is called antahkarana, "inner faculty" composed of:

4) Buddhi ("intellect, reason, logic," higher mind);

5) Ahamkara ("I-maker," egoity);

6) Manas ("lower mind," instinctive-intellectual mind, the seat of desire).

Individual mind

From the perspective of the 36 tattvas (categories of existence), each of these is a tattva which evolves out of the one before it.

Thus, from buddhi comes ahamkara and then manas. Manas, buddhi and ahamkara are faculties of the manomaya kosha (astral or instinctive-intellectual sheath).

Anukarana chitta, sub-superconsciousness, the knowing mind, is the mind-state of the vijnanamaya kosha (mental or intuitive-cognitive sheath).

The aspect of mind corresponding directly to the anandamaya kosha (causal body) is karana chitta, superconsciousness.

See: mind, ahamkara, antahkarana, buddhi, chitta, manas, universal mind, consciousness.

Pancha Kosha (Sanskrit). The five "sheaths". According to Vedantin philosophy, Vijnanamaya Kosha, the fourth sheath, is composed of Buddhi, or is Buddhi.

The five sheaths are said to belong to the two higher principles - Jivatma and Sakshi, which represent the Upathita and An-upahita, divine spirit respectively.

The division in the esoteric teaching differs from this, as it divides man’s physical-metaphysical aspect into seven principles.

Vijnanamaya kosha: Spiritual Theosophical Dictionary on Pancha Kosha

Philosophically, five sheaths through which the soul functions simultaneously in the various planes or levels of existence.

They are sometimes compared to the layers of an onion.

The koshas, in order of increasing subtlety, are: annamaya kosha, pranamaya kosha, manomaya kosha, vijnanamaya kosha and anandamaya kosha.

Kosha: (Sanskrit) "Sheath; vessel, container; layer."

What the West thinks of Eastern Yogi methods; History of Karma Yoga Buddhist and Jain views thereof;

Their Law of Karma The Hindu view and caste system; "In the beginning was the Deed";

Free will and Predestination; The doubter dissected; The Power and Nature of Faith; Mantra.

In days of yore there were very able dyers in Marwar or Rajputana.

They would give seven colours to the sari or clothes of ladies.

After washing the cloth one colour will fade away.

Another colour will shine. After some washing a third colour will

manifest in the cloth; then a fourth colour and so on.

Vijnanamaya kosha: Remove The Colouring of The Mind

Even so the mind is coloured when it associates with the different objects of the world.

When the mind is Sattvic, it has white colour; when it is Rajasic, it is tinged with red colour; when it is Tamasic it has a black colour.

A spiritual view on dreams and the meaning of dreams by Sri Swami Sivananda, an authority in the vedic sciences and traditions.

The intuitive superconscious sheath or actinic-causal body.

This inmost soul form (svarupa) is the ultimate foundation of all life, intelligence and higher faculties.

Its essence is Parashakti (Pure Consciousness) and Parasiva (the Absolute).

Anandamaya kosha is not a sheath in the same sense as the four outer koshas.

Vijnanamaya kosha: Hindu - Hinduism Dictionary on Anandamaya kosha

Parashakti

It is the soul itself, a body of light, also called karana sharira, causal body, and karmashaya, holder of karmas of this and all past lives.

Karana chitta, "causal mind," names the soul's superconscious mind, of which Parashakti (or Satchidananda) is the rarified substratum.

Anandamaya kosha is that which evolves through all incarnations and beyond until the soul's ultimate, fulfilled merger, vishvagrasa, in the Primal Soul, Parameshvara.

Then anandamaya kosha becomes Sivamayakosha, the body of God Siva.

The physical body (annamaya kosha) is also called sthula sharira, "gross body."

The soul body (anandamaya kosha) is also called karana sharira, "causal body."

The pranamaya, manomaya and vijnanamaya koshas together comprise the sukshma sharira, "subtle body," with the pranamaya shell disintegrating at death.

See: actinic, actinodic, manomaya kosha, niyati, odic, sharira, soul, subtle body.

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Integrated Approach of Yoga Therapy

The Vedic ritual reaches its climax in the Soma offering, in which specially prepared plant juices are offered into the sacred fire (Agni) as the drink of the Gods.

But this ancient ritual reflects a deeper internal ritual or alchemy of awareness that is its real import.

In exploring this process, we will discover many secrets of the practice of Yoga, including the path of Self-inquiry or Jnana Yoga.

Vijnanamaya kosha: The Flow of Soma

Yoga is the art of uniting the individual soul with the Supreme Soul, of uniting the Kundalini Sakti lying dormant in the Muladhara Chakra with Siva in the Sahasrara Chakra.

By convention, all practices that help the attainment of this goal are also called Yoga.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Vijnanamaya kosha: Yoga And Its Consummation

Cognitive body: Vijnanamaya kosha. The most refined sheath of the astral, or subtle, body (sukshma sharira).

It is the sheath of higher thought and cognition. See: astral body, kosha.

Vijnanamaya kosha: Hindu - Hinduism Dictionary on Cognitive body

Vijnanam (Sanskrit). The Vedantic name for the principle which dwells in the Vijnanamaya Kosha (the sheath of intellect) and corresponds to the faculties of the Higher Manas.

See also: Vijnanam, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary

Vijnanamaya kosha: Spiritual Theosophical Dictionary on Vijnanam

The Sheath of the intellect, which is inside the manomaya.

The manomaya kosa is filled by the vijnanamaya kosa [VK].

The VK is also like a human body. Just as the manomaya kosa has a human form, in the

same way the VK has a human form. Sraddha [respect for the scriptures and for oneself]

represents the head, rta [thinking of the meaning of the scriptures] represents its right wing, satya [truth] represents its left wing, and yoga represents its self, the middle part of the body.

Mahat or Hiranyagarbha, is the tail that gives support.

There is a verse on this subject in the brahmanas.

Both speech and mind fail to grasp or express the Supreme Brahman in the manomaya kosa.

They have their limitations, but Brahman is limitless.

Brahman is also too subtle for them. Furthermore, in no way can speech and mind

be their own subject and object at the same time.

The word vidvan here means ‘one who has experienced’ that is, experienced the supreme bliss of Self-know-ledge.

He is never afraid of anything. Why? Because there is nothing else.

There is only the Self. What is there for him to fear? Fear arises only when there is more than one,

but whatever exists is nothing but a manifestation of the Self.

Within the mental sheath and separate from it, is the vijnanamaya kosa, the sheath of the intellect.

It is called atma, the self, of the manomaya kosa, and also sarira, because it occupies the manomaya sarira, the mental body.

The word sarira is the adjective of sarira. Again, the VK is of the same form as the

manomaya kosa. It is a replica, as it were.

Vijnamaya is the level of the intellect. It is the level of decision or determination. At the mental level there is always wavering

and doubt – maybe yes, maybe no. But the intellect is firm. It decides: Yes, this. The intellect also helps us understand the

meaning of things.

For instance, the vedas tell us many things, but we have to be able to understand the real implication of what they say.

Some people’s minds work very superficially.

They are not able to penetrate into the underlying of the words.

Indra is the king of the gods, and Virocana, the king of the demons.

Both went to Prajapati and asked: ‘What is the Self ?’ We hear about the Self, but what is it and where is it ?’

Prajapati answered: ‘Go to the river and look at your reflection. You will se the Self there.’

Virocana went and looked at the reflection and saw his body.

He thought, ‘Oh, so the Self is the body.’ He left, content with that knowledge.

STORIES

At first Indra also thought the Self was the body. But then he began to think: ‘How can the Self be

the body ? The body changes. At one time it is young and at another time it is

old. Sometimes it is sick and sometimes it is healthy. The Self is constant, without any change, so it

cannot be the body.’ After many years of questioning and meditating,

he finally realized the real nature of the Self.

The Upanishad again gives the comparison with the parts of a bird.

If the VK is thought of as a bird, what would its most important part, the head, be ?

The Upanishad says the head of the bird is sraddha, which means faith in the scriptures and respect for them.

It also means self-confidence. If you do not have self-confidence, you cannot

make any decisions. And if you cannot make any decisions, you are

lost. So you cannot afford to lose self-confidence.

Then rtam, righteousness, is the right wing of the bird.

On the intellectual level, it means that you know what is right and you are conscious of your right decision.

The left wing is satyam, truth. Truth means that there is harmony between your

thought, speech, and action. Truth and righteousness – these two things are

very important on the intellectual level. You don’t expect an animal to be righteous or

honest, but in the case of human beings, it is essential that they be so.

Then the body of the bird is said to be yoga. Sankara says yoga means complete absorption,

complete identification – yogah yuktih samadhanam.

Self-knowledge is very subtle. How can you attain this knowledge ? You can attain it when you have a combination of

these three things – righteousness, truth, and complete absorption.

When these are present you can utilize the intellect properly.

Then the mind becomes purified and spiritual understanding develops.

Suppose you are very intelligent, but you are not righteous or honest.

Recently there was a report of a bank robbery. The robbery was so well planned and

organized, so well executed, that people had to admire the intelligence of the robbers.

The police were completely stuck. They could not say who did it, as the robbers

left no clue.

A lot of money was taken, but there was no violence or bloodshed.

So the Upanishad reminds us here that you may have intelligence, but you have to apply that intelligence in the right direction.

Truth and righteousness are the two winds that will carry you forward.

Then the Upanishad says that the tail of the bird, the support, is mahah.

Mahah means mahattattvam or Hiranyagarbha, the first manifestation of Brahman.

Sankara says: Karanam hi karyanam pratistha – the cause is the support (pratistha) of the effect.

That is to say, there can be no effect without a cause.

So also, this VK cannot function and develop without mahah.

Shankara compares it to the trees and creepers on the earth (yatha vrksavirudham prthivi).

The earth is the support of the trees and creepers, and without the earth there could not be any trees or creepers.

Similarly, Hiranyagarbha is the support of everything.

An intelligent person goes on performing sacrifices with great respect and also promotes all kinds of activities.

And, because of his intelligence, he is able to discriminate between what is good work and what is not.

Aware of the importance of intelligence, Indra and the rest of the gods and goddesses worship Brahman, who is the chief of all intelligent beings.

A person may have many blemishes due to his association with a body, but if he knows Brahman and never stops thinking of him, he will nevertheless get rid of those blemishes.

He will also enjoy everything he wants. This is the vijnamaya self, Brahman as

intelligence. It is the embodied self of the aforesaid

manomaya self.

Vinhanam yajnam tanute. Vijnanam means the buddhi, the intellect, the

determinative faculty. Tanute means ‘it performs.’ Through your intellect you perform many

sacrifices, and you also perform your duties. Everything is decided by the intellect. An animal is driven by instinct. It does not know what is good or bad, what is right

or wrong. But a human being can use his intellect to decide

what his duties are and what he should and should not do.

Perhaps all of us worship a person who has a fine intellect.

The Upanishad says that even the gods worship the intellect.

There are people who are always carried away by their emotions, or even by their instincts.

They do not stop to think about what they are doing.

But a person who uses his judgment never makes a mistake.

The intellect is our guide, so it is to be revered. It is also said to be the first born (Jyestham).

Just as we revere that person who is the oldest, so also we revere the intellect, which is the first born.

This is all in praise of the intellect. The Upanishad, you may notice, is giving the

maximum importance to the intellect. Why should you worship your intellect as

Brahman ? Because then you will never deviate from what it

tells you to do. And the Upanishad says, if you follow your

intellect, you will overcome all your weaknesses and limitations.

You will no longer be a slave to your body. As you may know, Saint Francis used to call

the body ‘Brother Ass.’ An ass has very little brains. It cannot guide itself; it has to be guided. So also, our bodies have to be guided by our

intellect so that we do not make mistakes. The Upanishad is telling us to transcend the

gross physical level and go to the subtle level. We should not be so occupied with the physical

body.

Very often it is when we attach too much importance to our body that we behave foolishly.

Then why does the Upanishad say that if you worship the intellect you can enjoy all your desires ?

The Upanishad says that when you are pursuing something on the intellectual level – provided, of course, it is something God – you become very happy.

A lot of money was taken, but there was no violence or bloodshed.

So the Upanishad reminds us here that you may have intelligence, but you have to apply that intelligence in the right direction.

Truth and righteousness are the two winds that will carry you forward.