The five sheaths

Today I am going to explain something about the Five Sheaths or Koshas. Yoga says that the real self (atman or soul) is covered with five layers or sheaths. The five sheaths shield the true nature of the self and hence they prevent it from obtaining true liberation. The five sheaths are :

• Annamaya Kosha
• Pranamaya Kosha
• Manomaya Kosha
• Vigyanamaya Kosha
• Anandamaya Kosha

Annamaya Kosha or Food Sheath is the result of the food we receive. Since our birth (or in fact even before that) to the death we eat food in one or the other form (milk, solid food etc.) and that food nourishes us. It makes our body grow. This gross covering of body consisting of bones, skin, flesh and blood is referred as food sheath.

Just physical body is hardly of any use unless it can perform any actions. These actions including speaking, listening, viewing, working is the result of Pranamaya Kosha. These activities are caused by Prana or the Vital Force. Prana makes the gross body move and function. Any imbalance in Prana gives rise to diseases. That is one of the reasons why Pranayama is such an important Yogic practice.

We enjoy this world with our mind and five sense organs. The sense organs constantly collect some sort of events or happenings from the external world and convey them to our mind. The mind then creates the feeling of pleasure or sadness, good or bad. Thus sense organs and mind together are responsible for our emotions (anger, fear, lust etc.). This system or cover is Manomaya Kosha. 

Sense organs always try to make you their slaves. For example, many people are behind money and they can do anything to get money. Earning money is not bad however the means that you adopt to earn it can be wrong. But who will decide and tell you that something is good or something is bad? That's the job of Vigyanamaya or Intellectual Sheath. It is this sheath that helps you take right decision. Your right decision may not be always enjoyable to your sense organs. For example, you like eating sweet things but you are a patient of diabetes. Your tongue wants to eat sweet food items but your intellect tells you that you should not eat them as they will cause harm later on.

We often strive hard to fulfill the desires of our sense organs. When we feed their desires we feel pleasurable. However, at times we feel happiness, joy and bliss that is beyond our sense organs. Anybody who has done deep meditation can understand what I am saying. Let me give some other examples if you do not have experience in meditation. When you selflessly help others and see their smiling faces, you feel truly happy. Similarly, After a deep and sound sleep you feel joyous and happy. Isn't that happiness better than the pleasures obtained via sense organs. This joy is called Sattvic joy. Anandamaya Kosha or Bliss sheath is responsible for such joy and bliss. 

These five covers affect the way we work, think and feel. However the atman is still beyond these five layers. Shri Adi Shankaracharya has given a nice example. He says just like the bangles, ear-rings and house etc. are known to be "mine" but they are not "me", similarly the atman though identified by these five sheaths is not any of these.

Ok. That's it for today! Next week I will tell you something about three states of mind. Till then keep visiting!!