Panchkosha - five layers of existence

[harekrishna]

पंचकोश Five layers of existence
Kosh means layers of existence. The existence of human beings have been described having five layers in Brahmananda and Anand Valli of Tattiriyopanishad. This is the primary Upanishad for Krishna Yajurveda. I learnt how to recite it, and have found it an excellent way of understand and classify existence and behavior of human beings. I am learning the meanings, so thought would share with you. It is dificult to get an exact English translation, these are closest to the meaning that I have learnt so far.

The five koshas are -
अन्नमयकोश Annamaya Kosh (Physical Layer)
प्राणमयकोश Pranamaya Kosh (Vitality Layer)
मनोमयकोश Manomaya Kosh (Consciousness Layer)
विज्ञानमयकोश Vigyanamaya Kosh (Intellect Layer)
आनंदमयकोश Anandmaya Kosh (Blissful Layer)

I will post the meanings in subsequent posts.
HariH Om!
Hare Krishna

[harekrishna]

अन्नमय कोश Annamaya Kosh ( Physical Layer)

Literal meaning of Anna is food. However, as the lowest level of existence, Annamaya Kosh refers to the world of physical existence. Everything that we experience through our Indriyas are part of physical layer.

आनंद वल्ली ( Anand Valli )
अन्नाद्वै प्रजाः प्रजायन्ते । From Anna, creatures are born.

All creatures on earth are born out of Anna. Anna here can be translated as food, but food is not sufficient to describe this. This means that all creatures have a material existence.

याः काश्च पृथिवीँ श्रिताः । Whatsoever are dependent on earth.
अथो अन्नेनैव जीवन्ति । then, they live for the Anna.
अथैनदपि यन्त्यन्ततः । and lastly, they dissolve into the Anna.

All things which are dependent on earth, they live in the physical world. They live by devouring food, and ultimately dissolve into matter. From dust unto the dust, that is the rule of physical layer.

अन्नँ हि भूतानां ज्येष्ठम् । Anna is the oldest among the beings.
तस्मात् सर्वौषधमुच्यते । All the medicines comes out of Anna.
Matter form the Aushadhi. Aushadhis are matters with medicinal properties.

सर्वं वै तेऽन्नमाप्नुवन्ति । All of them get Anna,
येऽन्नं ब्रह्मोपासते । who worship Anna.
Material benefits can be obtained by concentrating on the materials.

अन्नँ हि भूतानां ज्येष्ठम् । Anna is the best among the bhutas.
तस्मात् सर्वौषधमुच्यते । All the Aushadhi comes out of it.

अन्नाद् भूतानि जायन्ते । Bhutas are born out of anna.
जातान्यन्नेन वर्धन्ते । They grow out of anna.
अद्यतेऽत्ति च भूतानि । And it (anna) eats the bhutas as well.
तस्मादन्नं तदुच्यत इति । That is how Anna is described.

Physical layer is complete in itself. Beings in their physical world, devour food. Ultimately, the physical existence of beings get devoured by the matter itself.

This is the base layer of existence.

[smaranam]

Namaste

This is an important topic.
Please continue with the explanations of the other 4 koshas.

Thank You

praNAm

[Onkara]

This is an important topic.
Please continue with the explanations of the other 4 koshas.

Thank You

praNAm

Well said, smaranam
I too would enjoy reading more on आनंदमयकोश Anandmaya Kosh (Blissful Layer) as it is said to be layer to overcome yet Ananda is also part of satchitananda, so in theory should also be the "goal" more than just a kosha/layer to overcome.

[smaranam]

I too would enjoy reading more on [/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR]आनंदमयकोश Anandmaya Kosh (Blissful Layer) as it is said to be layer to overcome yet Ananda is also part of satchitananda, so in theory should also be the "goal" more than just a kosha/layer to overcome.

Namaste Snip

I agree. I don't think Anandamaya Kosh is something to overcome, like the other layers. Its where we want to be, as you said.

Also, I would think Manomaya Kosha = layer of mind rather than consciousness. Its Anandamaya alone that touches consciousness and hence bliss.

Some very precious conversation here :
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/sho...60&postcount=2

He continued after some time:
(Stopped anna)You have already won annamaya kosha (physical body)
(Stopped vaayu)You have already gained control over pranamayakosha (pranic body)
(Stop mana)Now you can gain control over manomaya kosha (senses and mana)
(Stop budhi)Then you can gain control over vijnanamaya kosha (buddhi and ahmkara)
And finally you can be one with the supreme kosha that is anandamaya kosha

When you gain complete control over vijnanamaya kosha,
Karya, kaarana, ends
That is the end of buddhi, (sabijam)
When ahmkara ends its called (nirbija)....

The Taittiriya Upanishad
http://www.hinduwebsite.com/sacredsc...tiriya.asp#ch3

It says

anna - food as [pUrNa ?] Brahman
prANa - breath as Brahman
mana - mind , speech, senses as Brahman
buddhi/ahamkAr - intellect/understanding as Brahman
Ananda - bliss as Brahman

"Different from this , which consists of understanding , is the other inner self , which consists of bliss"

There seem to be various ways to attain this bliss.

Jai Sri Krshna
praNAm

[harekrishna]

Namaste Snip

I agree. I don't think Anandamaya Kosh is something to overcome, like the other layers. Its where we want to be, as you said.

Also, I would think Manomaya Kosha = layer of mind rather than consciousness. Its Anandamaya alone that touches consciousness and hence bliss.

Yes. Smaranam Ji, Snip Ji. Anandmaya Kosh is being one with Brahman. There are so many ways to look at it, but my POV is that none of the layers are there to overcome as such. They are more to be understood, and as one understands, the truth of other layers open up.
I am going to add Pranamaya kosha next.
HariH Om!
Hare Krishna

[harekrishna]

The next layer of existence is Prana. Prana provides life or vitality to the Annamaya Kosh. If wire was the body, the the electricity running in it is Prana. Just like when electricity stops, the light bulb goes away, body is also left lifeless when Prana leaves the body.
In scientific terms, probably all those electrical signals running between neurons to make sense of this world form Vitality layer.

In Brahmanand Valli the following is said -
प्राणं देवा अनु प्राणन्ति । gods (devas) live by Prana.
मनुष्याः पशवश्च ये । So do humans and animals.
प्राणो हि भूतानामायुः । Prana is the age of living beings.
तस्मात् सर्वायुषमुच्यते । Therefore, it (prana) is known as everyone's lifespan.
सर्वमेव त आयुर्यन्ति । ये प्राणं ब्रह्मोपासते । They all get long lives, who worship prana as Brahman.

It is further said -
अन्योऽन्तर आत्मा प्राणमयः । Inside that (Annamaya Kosh), lies the Pranamaya Kosh.
तेनैष पूर्णः । He (annamaya kosh) is filled with this (pranamaya kosh).
स वा एष पुरुषविध एव । He (Prana) is surely of the type of the Purusha.
तस्य पुरुषविधताम् । Know that (prana) as Purusha.
अन्वयं पुरुषविधः । He is also known as Purusha.
तस्य प्राण एव शिरः । His head is Prana.
व्यानो दक्षिणः पक्षः । His left wing is vyana.
अपान उत्तरः पक्षः । His right wing is apana.
आकाश आत्मा । Sky (akasha) is soul (atma).
पृथिवी पुच्छं प्रतिष्ठा । The earth is rooted as the tail.
Prana consisting of Prana, vyana and apana flies within the soul, just like a bird flies in the sky. The existence of all of this is derived from earth or annamaya kosh.

Else where in Shikshavalli, it is said -
अथाध्यात्मम । प्राणो व्यानोअपान उदान: समान: ।
Let us elaborate on adhyatma | (These are) prana, vyana, apana, udaana & samaana |

We can see that this upanishad is dividing the Pranic existence into a five-fold structure- prana , vyana, apana, udaana and samaan. Each of these prana are active in different parts of body. Prana is active around heart, apaana near lower stomach, udaana near and around vocal chords, samaana near middle and upper stomach and vyaana in most of body. These are life-energy flows in the body.

One must purify and control Prana to really feel life. In the Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali, Asana is there to purify Annamaya Kosh, while Pranayama is there to purify Pranamaya kosh. I really do not fully understand these yet, but after having doing Pranayama for some time, I can definitely feel life better. A lot of times, even before I am about to fall sick, i can sense some sickness coming. These practices make a person more aware of life forces in and around themselves.

HariH Om!
Hare Krishna

[devotee]

Very good thread indeed ! Thanks HK !!

OM

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~~

namast�


regarding these kośa's� mentioned, is it one's opinion that these 5 ( some say 3) are distinct or do they overlap - one into another in some way?

praṇām

words
kośa ( some write kosha) has a few additional meanings:

• a cask, vessel for holding liquids, a pail, bucket; a drinking vessel;
• a box, cupboard, the interior part of a carriage; a sheath, case, covering;
• also an egg.
• In jyotish it can be a name given to the conjunction of to planets; some use this name for the 2nd astrological mansion

[harekrishna]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~~

namast�


regarding these kośa's� mentioned, is it one's opinion that these 5 ( some say 3) are distinct or do they overlap - one into another in some way?

Dear Yajvan Jee -
The five koshas envelope each other. The grossest layer is Annamaya Kosha, Pranamaya Kosha exists on Annamaya Kosha, Manomaya Kosha exists on Annamaya and Pranamaya. Vigyanmaya Kosha envelops all the lower Koshas. Anandmaya Kosh pervades everything. That is my understanding, other views are most welcome. In each layer, the existence gets from gross (sthula) to fine (sukshma). The unhealthy existence of a layer affects other layers as well (with the exception of Anandmaya Kosha). A mal-functioning Prana, can cause body sickness. A mental disturbance also causes Pranic and Body disturbances.

Brahman pervades all these layers is further explained in Bhrigu Valli of Taittiriya. Bhrigu son of Rshi Varun, asks his father to instruct him of Brahma. As he performs Tapas, the Upanishad goes -
अन्नं ब्रह्मेति व्यजानात । Anna is Brahma, he knew thus.
It goes on to explain, that each layer is Brahma itself. Upon, realizing the Blissful layer, Bhrigu goes into a song and exclaims that it was all Brahma himself, and he himself is so.

Could you say which three koshas are told by other?

HariH Om!
Hare Krishna