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Thread: What does the term embodied mean?

  1. #1

    What does the term embodied mean?

    I've come across this word a lot while going through books on advaita, but im not sure what it means. There are several meanings of it in the dictionary.
    Need help.

  2. #2
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    Re: What does the term embodied mean?

    Namaste,

    Detailed answers with references below!

    Pranam.
    Last edited by Believer; 22 January 2019 at 11:47 AM.

  3. #3

    Re: What does the term embodied mean?

    Namaste

    I do not know why my picture is not getting uploaded, but here it is:

    Each of the following layers is "embodied" by the outer layer of body

    1. AtmA (a.k.a. paramAtmA - pure consciousness) is embodied inside Anandmay kosh - bliss layer, although inherently all-pervading.
    2. Anandmay kosh is embodied inside vidnyAnmay kosh - the buddhi - intellect layer
    3. vidnyAnmay kosh is embodied inside manomay kosh - the mAnans - mind layer (emotions)
    4. manomay kosh is embodied by the prANmay kosh -- vital airs and breath layer (prAN, apAn, samAn, udAna, vyAn - 5 vAyus )
    5. prANmay kosh is embodied by the annamay kosh which is the gross body of 5 elements - pancha mahAbhUta - pRuthvI (earth), Ap (water), tej (fire), vAyu (air), AakAsh (space)

    So, all the inner layers form the jeev that is embodied inside the gross body.
    When body dies, breath (prAN) is lost (OR , loss of prAN results in death of body)

    The "dehi" (possessor of body, the embodied) in Bhagvad Geeta is what remains after death -- the subtle body of [param]AtmA covered by mind, intellect, ego.
    That is the embodied one, who transmigrates from birth to birth in different bodies (Bhagvad Geeta chapter 2, chapter 15.8) until it gets liberated (moksha).

    This is why in BG 15.8 KRshNa uses the word Ishwar - Ishwar (the Universal AtmA in this context) carries the mind-intellect (and its contents of vAsanA - desires, saMskArs - impressions) away from the dead body just as air carries fragrance from a flower.

    The AtmA is the substratum for all sentience
    BG 10.20 aham AtmA guDAkesha jIvabhUtAshaya shtitah: |
    aham Adishcha madhyam cha bhUtAnAm antameva cha ||

    I am the Self, O conquerer of sleep, in all living beings. I am their very beginning, middle and their end also.
    Last edited by ameyAtmA; 27 December 2018 at 11:17 AM. Reason: Added explanation on line 1 : AtmA embodied although all-pervading
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  4. #4

    Re: What does the term embodied mean?

    Quote Originally Posted by ameyAtmA View Post
    Namaste

    I do not know why my picture is not getting uploaded, but here it is:

    Each of the following layers is "embodied" by the outer layer of body

    1. AtmA (a.k.a. paramAtmA - pure consciousness) is embodied inside Anandmay kosh - bliss layer, although inherently all-pervading.
    2. Anandmay kosh is embodied inside vidnyAnmay kosh - the buddhi - intellect layer
    3. vidnyAnmay kosh is embodied inside manomay kosh - the mAnans - mind layer (emotions)
    4. manomay kosh is embodied by the prANmay kosh -- vital airs and breath layer (prAN, apAn, samAn, udAna, vyAn - 5 vAyus )
    5. prANmay kosh is embodied by the annamay kosh which is the gross body of 5 elements - pancha mahAbhUta - pRuthvI (earth), Ap (water), tej (fire), vAyu (air), AakAsh (space)

    So, all the inner layers form the jeev that is embodied inside the gross body.
    When body dies, breath (prAN) is lost (OR , loss of prAN results in death of body)

    The "dehi" (possessor of body, the embodied) in Bhagvad Geeta is what remains after death -- the subtle body of [param]AtmA covered by mind, intellect, ego.
    That is the embodied one, who transmigrates from birth to birth in different bodies (Bhagvad Geeta chapter 2, chapter 15.8) until it gets liberated (moksha).

    This is why in BG 15.8 KRshNa uses the word Ishwar - Ishwar (the Universal AtmA in this context) carries the mind-intellect (and its contents of vAsanA - desires, saMskArs - impressions) away from the dead body just as air carries fragrance from a flower.

    The AtmA is the substratum for all sentience
    BG 10.20 aham AtmA guDAkesha jIvabhUtAshaya shtitah: |
    aham Adishcha madhyam cha bhUtAnAm antameva cha ||

    I am the Self, O conquerer of sleep, in all living beings. I am their very beginning, middle and their end also.
    namaste
    good question .
    in this explanation we have to keep in mind the scientific view also .
    embodied means dehi .. navdware pure dehi ..if the doors closed how the light will remain there and also if source is no either .
    so vayu gandhamivesyati does not mean the particles having smell and also vayu nivatastho .. does not mean without air .
    i will like the explanation of embodied in that manner if any learned member could tell .
    Jai Sri Krsna

  5. #5

    Re: What does the term embodied mean?

    Wonderful explanation ameyAtmA. I already knew that the embodied is the subtle/causal body but since two major gita translators like Alladi Mahadeva Sastri and Gambhirananda have called this 'embodied self' as the unchanging one (universal Atman), it compelled me to post this question here on HDF as well as on RF.

    Edit : According to Chidbhavananda's gita v15.8 , Ishwar is the lord of the body and not saguna God. He has mentioned in his commentary that Ishwar in that verse should be understood as the jiva/jivatma/sookshma sharira who keeps the physical body alive and therefore the lord of the body.

    And this prana that you've spoken of in your post, must be part of subtle body, am i right, coz when the dehi leaves, the 5 pranas also leaves along with the dehi/subtle body. Isn't it so?
    Last edited by Red_Drag0n; 29 December 2018 at 12:20 PM.

  6. #6

    Re: What does the term embodied mean?

    Quote Originally Posted by Red_Drag0n View Post
    Wonderful explanation ameyAtmA. I already knew that the embodied is the subtle/causal body but since two major gita translators like Alladi Mahadeva Sastri and Gambhirananda have called this 'embodied self' as the unchanging one (universal Atman), it compelled me to post this question here on HDF as well as on RF.
    I have the Gambhirananada Upanishad-set. What he may have meant by unchanging is --- that he wanted to emphasize on the AtmA part of the transmigratory subtle body (sUkshma sharIra) - the rest of it is just a covering of vAsanA (desires) and saMskAr (impressions). I suspect that he also wanted to stress on the eternality of the AtmA rather than it being unchanging, in saMskRt.

    Edit : According to Chidbhavananda's gita v15.8 , Ishwar is the lord of the body and not saguna God. He has mentioned in his commentary that Ishwar in that verse should be understood as the jiva/jivatma/sookshma sharira who keeps the physical body alive and therefore the lord of the body.
    Yes, I am aware of that. Some pandits point out that Ishwar in the context of BG 15.8 is jivAtmA and some say KRshNa meant paramAtmA (within the same sAmpradAy as well).

    Again, the debate is futile and -- points back to the first point above --- [param]AtmA is the foundation of jivAtmA, so for jIvAtmA to be the Ishwar of the body it has to rely on the bigger Ishwar-of-the-same-body - which is its substratum, the [param]AtmA. You can take it to be the jivatma and it is still the same thing -- and neither of us is saying it is the SaguNa PArameshwar - so that is out.

    So WHO transmigrates? The answer cannot be given by separating the substratum AtmA (BG 14.27 bramhaNo hi pratishThAham) from the subtle-body or jIvAtmA without which it cannot do a thing.


    And this prana that you've spoken of in your post, must be part of subtle body, am i right, coz when the dehi leaves, the 5 pranas also leaves along with the dehi/subtle body. Isn't it so?
    No. PrANa is lost to the atmosphere at death. The transmigrating entity is mind-intellect-ego-supported-by-AtmA

    BG 14.27 brahmaNo hi pratishThAham amrutasyAvyayasya cha |
    shAsvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikAntikasya cha ||


    I (the universal AtmA, viz. the nirguN nirAkAr paramAtmA) am the foundation and basis (pratishThA) of this entire existence called Brahman' (the vastness), eternal and unchanging. I am the foundation of the eternal (shAsvat i.e. sanAtan) dharma (righteous principles) , of the eternal complete neverending one-pointed bliss.
    Last edited by ameyAtmA; 30 December 2018 at 12:32 PM. Reason: ekAtikasya typo
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  7. #7

    Re: What does the term embodied mean?

    namaste
    explaining bodied and in advaita is not so simple .
    om kham brahma...yaj , space is occupied by different bodies and it is same when body perish so this can be said in advaita but :
    bodied moves where space does not ..so this not proper .
    now as per bhagvatam the rice boils in the pot so it is also not bodied as soul is non physical .
    sun rays come from sun but sun is visible but not ishwarah .
    air moves so it can be bodied but it can be made liquid so soul does not match being non physical .
    mam eva ansho jeeva bhuta....here part if taken as soul the concept of advaita goes .
    makes a wide view to think what bodied is ?
    jai sri krsna

  8. #8

    Re: What does the term embodied mean?

    Pls delete this post of mine. Thank you.
    Last edited by Red_Drag0n; 04 January 2019 at 09:28 AM.

  9. #9

    Re: What does the term embodied mean?

    Thanks ameyAtmA, but according to one article, which is based on the scripture vedanta sara,
    the 5 prana airs remain part of the subtle body during the process of transmigration and are not absorbed in atmosphere.

    VS-88: These five prana airs or vital forces together with organs of actions (karmendriyas) constitute the "vital sheath" (Pranamaya Kosha, प्राणमय-कोश).

    VS-89: Among these sheaths, the intelligent sheath (Vigyanamaya Kosha) is endowed with the power of knowledge (of agency), the mental sheath (Manomaya Kosha) is endowed with will-power or desire (of instrumentality), and the vital sheath (Pranamaya Kosha) is endowed with activity (of product). This division has been made according to their respective functions. These 3 sheaths (Koshas) together constitutes the subtle body.


    Here's an excerpt from that article -
    Considering all these, sheath of intellect is taken here as a representative of transmigrating Jiva. However, integrity and subjectivity of experience where illusion of doer-ship and consumer-ship is formed, takes place in the mind-sheath. Considering this, it is also possible to take mind sheath together with sheath of intellect as the representation of transmigrating Jiva. Even the 'sheath of vital forces" (Pranamaya Kosha) is said to be included in the transmigration of Jiva as a prop so that the Linga-Sharira justifies its name as a marker of Jiva.

    Source- https://sites.google.com/site/advait...-subtle-bodies
    Last edited by Red_Drag0n; 04 January 2019 at 09:29 AM.

  10. #10

    Re: What does the term embodied mean?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dutta View Post
    namaste
    explaining bodied and in advaita is not so simple .
    om kham brahma...yaj , space is occupied by different bodies and it is same when body perish so this can be said in advaita but :
    bodied moves where space does not ..so this not proper .
    now as per bhagvatam the rice boils in the pot so it is also not bodied as soul is non physical .
    sun rays come from sun but sun is visible but not ishwarah .
    air moves so it can be bodied but it can be made liquid so soul does not match being non physical .
    mam eva ansho jeeva bhuta....here part if taken as soul the concept of advaita goes .
    makes a wide view to think what bodied is ?
    jai sri krsna
    namaste
    one thing is in my mind .
    adhibhutah ksharam bhava purushah cha adhidevatam means body is perishable where the purushah is adhidev .
    now sahastra shirshah purushah is God so its Anshah is purushah .
    and adhiyagyah Aham Eva means it is sahastra shirshah as said earlier .
    so bodied is purushah or the light of the source .
    but I am not very sure so any comment if any ?
    jai Sri krsna

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