Sadguru Prabhuji speaks - The five sheaths around the Soul (Pancha Koshas) The Pancha Koshas are five needs of Human beings. The Sheath or Koshas are cells in human body. The sheaths are the invisible layers of our body. They are: 1. Annamaya Kosha - Food Sheath - Outermost of the Pancha koshas (Physiological needs for food Nourishment) 2. Praanamaya Kosha - Vital Air Sheath or the life force (Energy) 3. Manomaya Kosha - Mind Sheath as distinctly different from intelligence. (Emotions) 4. Vijnanamaya Kosha – Intellect Sheath (Ego) 5. Anandamaya Kosha - Bliss Sheath or ceaseless joy not connected with body or mind. Innermost of the Pancha koshas (Self-Realization - Brahman) It is the five sheaths (Pancha kosha) around the soul, which prevents the union of the individual soul with the universal Soul. Being born as a Human beings, the most primordial and basic need is to keep going and fueling it. Every human begins journey into eternity starts from the Anna Maya Kosha or the Food Sheath. The Human primarily needs are food and water for survival. The Second need is energy. Prana means Energy which originates from food. They are interrelated. This is signified by our breath. Our breath is our basic energy. The Nadis or the nerves carry out the energy to all parts of the body to keep the body going. Here the Human’s need is to develop the energy in his body. Thirdly, every human being develops emotional bonding with others and himself. Human being tries to understand whatever is happening and develops an emotive ability in determining and fulfilling all his emotions. He understands the love and compassion towards others, and the need for a company to co-exist. Fourthly, Vijnanamaya Kosha is at mental level, it clearly signifies the intellectual abilities and discrimination. Here the human is really able to understand and appreciate the truth! He begins to face the reality face to face. Here the ego I is more dominant than ever. In all the previous stages above, the human beings are not aware of ego. When he is in Vijnanamaya Kosha he is able to learn about himself the ego in him. Most of human beings reside in Vijnanamaya Kosha fluctuating between other Koshas. Here the discriminating ability is prominent. Fifthly, Ananda Maya Kosha is the Sheath of Bliss or Sat Chit Ananda. Here Perfection is achieved or what is called the Self Realization. This is the most Natural State of the Human being or the Soul. There is nothing. It is Absolute Completeness – Brahman. These are the invisible Koshas or Sheaths that cover the Soul or Atman or Brahman. When different needs are achieved, it discards its layers one by one and finally in Vijnanamaya Kosha when the ego drops and the Self or Brahman illuminates. There are no more koshas or Sheaths, ‘It’ only ‘IS’! --Existing in the midst of ignorance thinking themselves wise with worldly knowledge, deluded beings wander about suffering again and again, like the blind led by blind. Preoccupied with the manifold deceits of ignorance, such people believe they have achieved the goal of life. They are, however, subject to emotional attachments and therefore never find the Truth but are cast in dejection when the rewards for any good actions are exhausted. (1.2.8-9) Mundakopanishad Secular learning does not bring liberation from the cycle of birth and rebirths. Only spiritual enlightenment can bring true realization of God and freedom from attachments and emotional storms, which arise from desires. Many intellectual men and women become so engrossed with the fruits of secular knowledge that they do not realize the need of spiritual knowledge and spiritual development, which frees them from the endless cycle of rebirths. If one part of the brain deals with secular knowledge, another part of the brain deals with spiritual knowledge by which we can communicate with God within us and through this channel, with God in the universe at large. Meditation is divine way by which this part of the brain might be strengthened, amplified and extended. -- This then is the Truth : As from a blazing fire there spring forth thousands of sparks like little fires, so, my fellow seeker, from God the imperishable diverse life forms are produced and indeed go back again to Him . (11.1.1) Mundakopanishad One aspect of God is the Universal Soul. The load of sin, which accumulates during lifetime, is fixed around an individual soul in the form of five sheaths and is trapped inside. Pleasure and emotional attachments to the worldly desires can be removed from good deeds performed during a succession of lifetimes and rebirths. Finally, according to the Dharma of Karma (law of karma), the soul is freed from the load of sin, the sheaths collapse and the individual Soul returns to God the Universal Soul and Experience perpetual Bliss. -- The Man of self-realization knows the radiant supreme Brahman to be ‘He’ on whom the world is based. And those men of discrimination who, without any worldly desire, are devoted to such, go beyond the cycle of birth and death (111.2.1) Mundakopanishad The soul is unborn and does not die. When our body gets old and worn, the soul migrates to another body. Out of ignorance it is drawn to pleasurable objects of the senses. It enjoys and enjoys, enjoyment is fuel for the desire of fire. The soul craves for more and more joy and enjoys more and more. The desire is so widen that one lifetime is too short to satisfy these desires. This turns to vasanas (insatiated core of desire) is the cause of birth and rebirths. To break this unbreakable cycle we have to develop detachment towards the worldly desire and develop the qualities of Brahman. Moksha- Eternal Release. -- As rivers flow into the sea and disappear, losing name and form, so the enlightened one, delivered from name and form, enters into God the higher of the high. (111.2.8) Mundakopanishad The soul of an Enlightened Person goes to God the Universal Soul and flows into Him, losing all individuality and becoming one with the Divine being. What prevents the Union of individual Soul with the Universal Soul in this earth? It is the five sheaths (Pancha koshas) around the soul (Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vignanamaya and Anandamaya koshas) which prevents the union of the individual soul with the universal Soul. These five sheaths trap the soul and the cause for this trap is the load of sin accumulated from the cycle of births and rebirths. When there load of sins are removed by good deeds and are liberated, these sheaths collapse, the soul is liberated and flows back to the God Head. Aakasham Pratitam thoyam , Sagaram Prati gacchati - Every drop of rain from the sky , flows towards the sea. Every individual Soul flows back to Universal Soul, its source to become unified with its origin when liberated or God realized.
Posted on: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 23:50:56 +0000
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