Panca Kosha Viveka – Analysis of the Five Sheaths

The Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and other texts like Tattvabodha present an analysis of panca koshas (five sheaths) that manifest our individuality. We can understand our true nature by this analysis.

The outermost sheath is the annamaya kosha (physical sheath). This sheath is common between us and a dead body. The second sheath is called praanamaya kosha (physiological sheath). This is what is not active in a dead body. This sheath consists of the respiratory, digestive, circulatory, nervous, excretory, etc systems. This sheath is common between us and someone in coma. All the vital organs of the body are functioning in coma state. The third sheath is called manomaya kosha (mental sheath). This is what is not active in a person in coma. This sheath consists of sense organs, organs of action, memory and emotions. The person has a concept of likes and dislikes, pleasure and pain, etc. He seeks pleasurable experiences and avoid painful experiences. He has an urge to preserve life. This is common between us and someone who is in a state of severe mental illness. It is also common between us and animals. The fourth sheath is called buddhimaya kosha (intellectual sheath). This is what is not there in a mad person. This sheath consists of the concept of right and wrong, purpose of life, ambitions, etc. A person can think about the long term consequences of actions by doing a mental simulation and looking at things from others point of view. The fifth sheath is called anandamaya kosha (blissful sheath). This is the seat of individuality, freewill and fruits of past actions.

To better understand the five sheaths, you can do one exercise followed by a meditation. You can take a paper and write down the description and qualities of each of your five sheaths.
1. Annamaya kosha – height, weight, place of birth, name of parents, complexion, color of eyes, color of hair
2. Praanamaya kosha – body temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, sugar level, allergies, illnesses
3. Manomaya kosha – skills and knowledge, anger, jealousy, arrogance, desire, greed, fear, likes and dislikes in the domains of food, places, weather, movies, books, activities, hobbies
4. Buddhimaya kosha – value system, what is right, what is wrong, significance of honesty, kindness and discipline, patriotism, political affiliations, religious beliefs, willpower
5. Anandamaya kosha – the situations that you have faced in life, the opportunities that you have been blessed with in life

These are all properties of these various sheaths.

Kathopanishad mantras 1.3.3-1.3.6 give the example of a chariot. The sense objects are the road. The Annamaya and Praanamaya koshas are the horses. The Buddhimaya kosha is the charioteer. The Manomaya kosha is the rein connecting the charioteer to the horses. The Anandamaya kosha is the passenger in the chariot. For the passenger to reach his destination, there should be a hierarchy of control. The charioteer should obey the passenger. The charioteer should hold the reins tight and have the horses under control. This hierarchy of control is mentioned in Gita verse 3.42.

All these sheaths belong to Nature, which belongs to God. You are different from these. You are the witness of all these. You can do a meditation where you disidentify and return them back to Nature, where they rightfully belong to.

1. Sit stably and comfortably on the floor or on a chair. Close your eyes.
2. Completely relax your body. Take two deep breaths and let the body breathe naturally.
3. Be aware of your body. Think of all the properties of the body from the previous exercise. This body is a part of the physical Universe. This body is not separate from the physical Universe. This body arises, exists in and will go back to the physical Universe. This body came from the body of parents. This body is sustained by food in this Universe in the form of food. When dead, this body becomes food for other bodies. Whether living or dead, this body is a part of the physical Universe only. It follows all the laws of the physical universe. It belongs to Nature.
4. Be aware of your breathing. Be aware of the heart beating. Be aware of the blood flowing and intestinal movements. Think of the qualities you had noted down in the previous exercise. All these belong to the life in this body. The life in the body came from parents. It is sustained by other life in the earth. It is a part of the living Universe. Life manifests in conducive environment and thus manifests in this body too. It belongs to Nature.
5. Be aware of your ears hearing the sounds around. Be aware of your skin feeling the touch, heat or cold around. Be aware of your mind being knowledgeable in various arts and sciences. Think of the qualities of your mind that you had written down like desire, anger, fear, likes and dislikes, etc. All these belong to the mind. Every knowledge that the mind has is got from other minds. This mind is a part of the Universe of minds, which is the Universal mind. It belongs to Nature.
6. Be aware of the value systems that your intellect possesses. Be aware of the beliefs and convictions. Be aware of the judgement of right and wrong. Be aware that every intellect in the Universe has its value systems, beliefs and convictions. This intellect is a part of the Universe of intellects, which is the Universal intellect. It belongs to Nature.
7. Be aware of the life situations that this individual has gone through. Every situation in life is the result of the past decisions made. There are several such individuals in the Universe. Each individual’s life situations are based on the individual decisions. All these life situations of various individuals fit perfectly with each other like a jigsaw puzzle. This whole picture is the situation of the whole Universe, which consists of the situations of each individual. The Will of the whole Universe manifests and reflects in the will of each individual. It belongs to Nature.
8. There is no individuality separate from the Whole at any level. Only the Whole truly exists. Individuality is an illusion at all levels. There is just one Whole Nature as the Universe, which is different from you, who is a mere witness.
9. You are different from all these. You are unaffected by all these. You are pure Consciousness. All these exists in this Consciousness. You are just an uninvolved unaffected witness. This Consciousness is the purest and finest reflection of God. Thus, God in the form of the Nature constitutes the five sheaths. God in the form of Consciousness is ourselves. There is nothing whatsoever other than God.

Thus, by clearly understanding the five sheaths, you can disown each of them as a mere sheath belonging to Nature. By this, you can come to the logical conclusion of your true identity.

The physical world, which forms all the physical sheaths of all beings is called the sthoola prapanca (gross world). The physiological, mental and intellectual sheaths of all beings put together is called the sookshma prapanca (subtle world). The blissful sheath (which gives individuality and thus, is the cause) of all beings put together is called the kaarana prapanca (causal world).

In the 15th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna takes the position of the Ishvara – the Lord of the Universe, which includes Nature as His part or servant. He gives the same narrative as above from His point of view:

gaam aavishya ca bhootaani dharayaami aham ojasaa
pushnaami ca oushadhiih sarvaah somo bhootvaa rasaatmakah (15.13)
As the physical Universe, I support the bodies of all living beings with energy.
I nourish all the plants (food) by the required nutritious juice.

aham vaishvaanaro bhootvaa praaninaam deham aashritah
praana apaana samaayuktah pacaami annam caturvidham (15.14)
Living in the body of all living beings as the life force
I breathe in, breathe out and also digest all the food eaten.

sarvasya ca aham hridi sannivashto mattah smritir jnaanam apohanam ca
vedaishca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedaantakrid vedavid eva ca aham (15.15)
I reside in the hearts of everyone. All perception, memory and their absence come from me.
I am all values, teacher of values and the follower of values.

dvaavimou purushou loke ksharasca akshara eva ca
ksharah sarvaani bhootaani kutasthah akshara ucyate (15.16)
There are two parts of the personality – perishable and imperishable.
The body, life, mind, intellect form the perishable and the individuality is imperishable.

uttamah purushastvanyah paramaatma iti udaahrutah
yo loka trayam aavishya bibhartyavyaya ishvarah (15.17)
Other than these is the Supreme Being called the Higher Self.
He pervades all the three worlds (gross, subtle and causal) and supports them as the Unaffected Lord.

yo maam evam asammoodho jaanaati purushottamam
sa sarvavid bhajati maam sarvabhaavena bhaarata (15.19)
Without any doubt or confusion, one who knows Me thus, as the Supreme Being
Knows fully and worships Me through all actions and attitudes.

Thus, let us all understand that there is only the Lord who exists as the Universe and also as the Pure Consciousness. Let us dissolve our illusive individuality into the Lord. That is our offering to the Lord. This is Knowledge. This is Surrender.