Pancha kosha is a concept from the ancient Indian scriptures known as the Upanishads, which describe the five layers or sheaths that enclose the human soul or Atman. These five layers or sheaths are collectively referred to as “Pancha Kosha,” which translates to “five sheaths” in Sanskrit.
The five koshas or sheaths are:
Annamaya Kosha (Physical Sheath): This is the outermost sheath, which includes the physical body and is made up of the food we eat.
Pranamaya Kosha (Vital Sheath): This is the second sheath, which includes the vital energy or life force that animates the physical body.
Manomaya Kosha (Mental Sheath): This is the third sheath, which includes the mind and all mental processes such as thoughts, emotions, and feelings.
Vijnanamaya Kosha (Intellectual Sheath): This is the fourth sheath, which includes the intellect or higher mind and is associated with intuition, discrimination, and wisdom.
Anandamaya Kosha (Bliss Sheath): This is the innermost sheath, which is said to be the seat of pure consciousness and is associated with a sense of deep inner peace, joy, and bliss.
According to the Upanishads, the ultimate goal of human life is to realize the Atman, or the true nature of the self, which is said to be beyond all the five koshas or sheaths. By understanding and transcending these sheaths, one can experience their true nature and attain spiritual liberation.
Shirdi Sai Baba’s teachings emphasized the importance of understanding the true nature of the self, which is central to the concept of Pancha Kosha.
Sai Baba emphasized that the true nature of the self is not the physical body, but the eternal soul that resides within. He encouraged His followers to go beyond the limitations of the physical body and connect with the higher self through spiritual practices like meditation, selfless service, and devotion.
In essence, the teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba align with the Pancha Kosha concept, which recognizes that the human being is not just a physical body but a complex system of physical, energetic, mental, intellectual, and spiritual layers. By understanding and balancing these layers, one can achieve physical and spiritual well-being.
Coming weeks we going to explore in detail the above concept.
As usual, we end this post with a verse from Bhagavad Gita
वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि |
— Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verses 22
तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णा न्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही ||
Transliteration: vāsānsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya navāni gṛihṇāti naro ’parāṇi
tathā śharīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇānya nyāni sanyāti navāni dehī
Translation: “As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.”
Our Interpretation: This verse implies that the true essence of the self or soul is distinct from the physical body and that the body is merely a temporary covering that the soul sheds and takes on in the cycle of birth and death.
The concept of Pancha Kosha aligns with this idea of the body being just one layer of the self, and that there are deeper levels of consciousness and being that need to be understood and harmonized to achieve spiritual fulfillment.
It provides a framework for understanding the true nature of the self and the importance of transcending the limitations of the physical body to achieve spiritual well-being.
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Aum Sai Ram.