VEDANTAM FOR BEGINNERS - 34. SWAMI SIVANANDA

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Sunday, June 19, 2022. 06:00. AM.

Khandam X : II. The Five Sheaths :

Post-34.

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II. The Five Sheaths :


Disciple: What is meant by a Kosha?


Guru: Kosha means a sheath.


Disciple: Kindly illustrate these sheaths.


Guru: Just as a pillow-cover is a covering or a sheath for the pillow, just as a scabbard is a

sheath for the sword or the dagger, so also this body, Pranas, mind, intellect and the causal body are

sheaths that cover the Atman or the Soul.


There is the singlet close to the body; over this there is the shirt; over the shirt there is the

waist-coat; over the waist-coat there is the coat; over the coat there is the overcoat. Even so, the

Atman is enveloped by these five sheaths.


Disciple: How many sheaths are there in the body?


Guru: There are five sheaths.


Disciple: Please name them.


Guru: Annamaya Kosha, Pranamaya Kosha, Manomaya Kosha, Vijnanamaya Kosha and

Anandamaya Kosha are the five Koshas or sheaths.


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Disciple: What is Annamaya Kosha?


Guru: Annamaya Kosha is food-sheath. It is the gross body made up of the five gross

elements.


Disciple: Why is it called Annamaya Kosha?


Guru: It is called Annamaya Kosha, because it lives on account of food, it is made up of the

essence of food, and, finally, it returns to food (earth or matter).


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Disciple: What is Pranamaya Kosha?


Guru: Pranamaya Kosha is the vital sheath.


Disciple: What is the Pranamaya Kosha made of?


Guru: It is made up of the Pranas or the vital airs and the five Karmendriyas or organs of

action.


Disciple: How many Pranas are there?


Guru: There are ten Pranas five Mukhya or chief Pranas, viz., Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana

and Samana, and five Upapranas or sub-Pranas viz., Naga, Kurma, Krikara, Devadatta and

Dhananjaya.


Disciple: What is the function of Prana?


Guru: Ucchvasa and Nihshvasa (inhalation and exhalation) are the functions of the Prana.


Disciple: What is the function of Apana?


Guru: Excretion of faeces and urine is the function of the Apana.


Disciple: What is the function of Vyana?


Guru: Circulation of blood is the function of Vyana. Disciple: What is the function of

Udana?


Guru: Udana helps deglutition or swallowing of food. It takes the Jiva to rest in Brahman

during deep sleep. It separates the astral body from the physical body at the time of death.


Disciple: What is the function of Samana?


Guru: Digestion of food is the function of Samana. Disciple: What is the function of Naga?



Disciple: What is the function of Kurma?


Guru: Closing and opening of eyelids are the functions of Kurma.


Disciple: What is the function of Krikara?


Guru: Causing of hunger is the function of Krikara. Disciple: What is the function of

Devadatta?


Guru: Yawning is the function of Devadatta.


Disciple: What is the function of Dhananjaya?


Guru: Nourishing the body, decomposition of the body after death and ejection of the child

out of the womb in women are the functions of Dhananjaya.


Disciple: What are the two divisions in Prana?


Guru: Gross Prana and subtle Prana are the two divisions in Prana.


Disciple: What are the functions of these Pranas?


Guru: The gross Prana does the functions of breathing, digestion, excretion, circulation, etc.


The subtle Prana generates thought.


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Disciple: What is Manomaya Kosha?


Guru: Manomaya Kosha is the mind-sheath.


Disciple: What does the mind-sheath consist of?


Guru: The mind-sheath consists of the mind (Manas), the subconscious (Chitta) and the five


Jnanendriyas or the sense-organs of knowledge.


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Disciple: What is Vijnanamaya Kosha?


Guru: It is the intellectual sheath.


Disciple: What does the intellectual sheath consist of?


Guru: It consists of the intellectual and the ego working with the help of the five

Jnanendriyas or the sense-organs of knowledge.


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Disciple: What is Anandamaya Kosha?


Guru: It is the bliss-sheath.


Guru: Belching and hiccough or eructation and vomiting are the functions of Naga.


Disciple: Why is it called Anandamaya Kosha?


Guru: Because through it the Jiva or the individual soul experiences bliss during deep sleep

and at the time of experiencing the effect of a Sattvic deed.


Disciple: What does the bliss-sheath consist of?


Guru: It is a modification of Prakriti and consists of the Vrittis called Priya, Moda and

Pramoda.


Disciple: How many Koshas are in the physical body?


Guru: One Kosha—Annamaya Kosha.


Disciple: How many Koshas are in the Linga-shareera or subtle body (Astral body)?


Guru: Three sheaths, viz., Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya.


Disciple: How many sheaths are in the causal body or Karana Sarira?


Guru: One sheath, viz., Anandamaya Kosha.


Disciple: How many sheaths operate during the waking state?


Guru: The five sheaths function during the waking state.


Disciple: How many sheaths function during the dream state?


Guru: Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya and Anandamaya Kosha function during


dreaming state. Vijnanamaya and Anandamaya Kosha function partially.


Disciple: How many sheaths function during deep sleep?


Only one, viz., Anandamaya Kosha.


*****

Next- III. Guna

To be continued .....



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