The Many – Koshas

The human individual is a microcosmic specimen of the entire cosmos. The same layers of reality that form the universe are also present in the human in the form of Koshas or sheaths named annamaya kosha, pranamaya kosha, manomaya kosha, vijnanamaya kosha and anandamaya kosha.

Annamaya kosha also called as food-sheath is mainly built up of the food that we eat. It is composed of solids, liquids and gases and corresponds to the visible part of the earth or the Pritvi tattva. This kosha forms the sthula-sharira or the dense body. The Pranamaya kosha or the Prana-sheath corresponds to the invisible part of our earth and is composed of ethers. Both these koshas belong to the Bhur-Loka.

The Mano-maya kosha or the mind-sheath is made of matter of two kinds and connected to two worlds – denser part which seat passions is connected with Bhuvar-loka where desire works and the finer part where emotions and thoughts dominate is connected with Svar(ga)-loka where thoughts work. This kosha is the upadhi of the lower mind or Manas which is impacted by Kama and filled with desires. Vijnanamaya kosha or the knowledge-sheath connects the Jiva with Mahar-loka and contains matter belonging to this loka. It is connected with a pure form of Manas which is free from Kama. These three koshas form the sukshma-sharira or the subtle body as stated in Devi Bhagavatham as follows.

“My subtle body (Linga Deha) arises from the union of the five Jñânendriyas, the five Karmendriyas (organs of action), the five Pranas and the mind and Buddhi, these seventeen elements”

Anandamaya Kosha or the Bliss-sheath is the innermost sheath and composed of materials of Jana, Tapo and Satya lokas. Jana loka is the abode of Kumaras who are characterized by pure wisdom unsullied by any desire. Ascetics and devotees live in Tapo loka and are characterized by Ananda or bliss. A jiva from Satya loka is closely allied to the nature of Brahma. This kosha corresponds to the karana-sharira of the jiva.

The Taittiriya Upanishad deals with these 5 koshas in a straight forward way. But it is the Mandukya Upanishad which deals with these koshas in the context of consciousness involved in these sheaths. We will see about this in the next post.

The Many – Sharira

There are 3 main sharira that a jiva utilizes as Upadhi or vehicle. The Sthula-shariram – sense or gross body, the Sukshma-shariram, subtle body and the Karana-shariram or the causal body.

In the Mandukyopanishad, the Self is said to have four states, Jagrat – waking, in which a Jiva is called Vaishvanara; dreaming in which he is called Taijasa ; the third Sushuptih or excellent sleeping in which he is called Prajna and the fourth is the pure consciousness itself which is called Turiya. Sthula-Shariram is the Upadhi of Jiva for Vaishvanara consciousness, Sukshma-Shariram is for Taijasa consciousness and Karana-Shariram for Prajna consciousness as stated in Devi Bhagavatham as below.

“Both Īśvara and Jīva have, by the influence of Vidyā and Avidyā three bodies and three names. When the Jīva lives in his causal body, he is named Prājña; when he lives in subtle body he is known as Taijasa; while he has the gross body, he is called Viśva.” It continues to say – “So when Īśvara is in His causal body, he is denominated Īśa; when He is in His subtle body, he is known as Sūtra; and when He is in His gross body, He is known as Virāṭ.”

Just like the Jiva, Bhagavan also has three Dehas named Isa, Sutra and Virat corresponding to the three human forms of consciousness.

It is the three aspects of the Jiva-Icha, Kriya and Jnana or Will, Activity and Wisdom – that are manifested by the 3 Upadhis. Sthula-Shariram corresponds to Kriya, Sukshma-Shariram is the organ of Jnana and Karana-Shariram is that of Icha. While the Sthula-Shariram contains the Karmendriyas or the organs of action, the true centers of these organs which direct and control them are in the Sukhsma-Shariram. Similarly organs of the Jnanendriyas are in the Sthula-Shariram while their centers are in the Sukshma-Shariram.

The Tattva of Sharira is intrisically connected with other important tattvas like kosha, Pranas, and the Lokas. We need to have a clear understanding of these at the individual levels and also have proper knowledge of the complex network they form to understand about the Jiva’s journey forward. We will look at this network in our upcoming posts.

The many – Lokas

We have followed the Jiva in his evolution and in the unfolding of his faculties and powers. When he is clothed in any form including the human form he dwells in this physical world, the world that he is able to see, hear, touch and feel. Science states that there are many parts of this physical world that our senses are not keen enough to perceive and too subtle to effect any of our senses.Albeit being invisible, these parts of the world are still physical in nature. Our Dharma also puts forth details about many worlds that are invisible to the Jiva when he is in this physical world.

In these different worlds or lokas, the Jiva is bound to the cycle of births and deaths and his evolution proceeds. He dwells in these different lokas during his long journey. Chiefly, there are 3 lokas in which the Jiva circles around. Bhulokah or Bhurlokah, the physical earth, Bhuvarlokah, the world next to the physical, and closely related to it but of finer matter and Svarlokah, or Svarga, the heavenly world. The Bhulokah is partly visible to us and it has Prithvi tattva as its basis. The Bhuvarlokah and Svarlokah are totally invisible to us with Apas tattva being the basis for bhuvarlokah and Agni tattva being the basis for svarlokah. Beyond these are 4 other lokas, Maharaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka. All these 7 lokas lie within the Brahmanda. There are others like Indraloka, Suryaloka, Pretaloka and Pitriloka which are not exactly separate worlds but special regions situated within these 7 lokas.

There are seven other worlds, usually called Talas, which are regions within the earth, that is of grosser matter than the earth. They are Patala, Mahatala, Rasatala, Talatala, Sutala, Vitala and Atala. We can imagine these Talas to the lokas as an image corresponding to an object. These are on a descending scale unlike lokas which are on a ascending scale.

These lokas are significant to the Jiva since they mark the stages of his evolution. As his powers uncurl, he begins to feel and becomes conscious of these lokas. Thus each loka becomes the form of consciousness of the Jiva as a state and as a place, it represents the modifications of the Prakriti that is expressing each state of consciousness. Puranas and Itihasas introduce the concept of lokas as a prakriti tattva to us first. Hence we can see numerous stories involving Jivas and lokas. As our understanding of such Vedic concepts gains traction, our scriptures take us to the next level and expose our minds to lokas as a yoga tattva – different levels of consciousness or existence for the Jiva to journey into. If we go back to those stories from the puranas after we have gained advanced level knowledge about our dharma, we can realize that the same stories give us a different perspective from the time we learnt them as novices.

Since the Jiva is of the nature of the Ishvara, he is fully capable of realizing these 7 states of consciousness and experiencing all the 7 higher lokas seen above. For the Jiva to experience all these lokas, the existence of the lokas alone is not enough. He also needs Upadhi with which he can experience the lokas and the bhutani, the Bhutas or the elements. We will look at the various upadhis in the coming posts.