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=== Anandamaya kosha ===

=== Anandamaya kosha ===

The fifth sheath is the Anandamaya Kosha or Avidya in its Sattvic aspect causing the blissful experience of Sushupti or deep sleep. It is endowed with the three Vrittis, viz., Priya, Moda and Pramoda. Priya is the happiness that arises in one from the mere sight of a desired object. Moda is the happiness which one enjoys when he is in possession of a desired object. Pramoda is the happiness which one gets from the actual enjoyment of the desired object. This sheath makes itself spontaneously felt to the fortunate during the fruition of their virtuous deeds. This Anandamaya Kosha has its fullest play during deep sleep. In the dreaming and waking states it has only a partial operation, caused by the sight of pleasant objects. Priya Vritti is the head of Anandamaya Kosha. Moda Vritti is the right wing. Pramoda Vritti is its left wing. Pratibimbananda is its trunk. The Bimbananda of Atman is its tail.

The fifth sheath is the Anandamaya Kosha. This blissful sheath is a reflection of the Atman which is truth, beauty, bliss absolute. In deep sleep, when the mind and senses cease functioning, it still stands between the finite world and the self.  

Man generally says: I am the enjoyer. I am happy. I am peaceful. I am contented. I am Sattvic. I am Rajasic. I am Tamasic. I am a dull man. I am an ignorant man. I am a miserable man. I am a discontented person. I am a man of discrimination. I am a vicious person. I am a deluded person. Here the attributes of the Anandamaya Kosha are falsely ascribed to the Atman. Conversely the characteristics of the Satchidananda of Atman are falsely attributed to the Anandamaya Kosha. Man generally says: My bliss is, my bliss shines and my bliss is dear to me. Thus there is reciprocal illusory relationship between Atman and Anandamaya Kosha.

It is endowed with the three Vrittis, viz., Priya, Moda and Pramoda. Priya is the happiness that arises in one from the mere sight of a desired object. Moda is the happiness which one enjoys when he is in possession of a desired object. Pramoda is the happiness which one gets from the actual enjoyment of the desired object. This sheath makes itself spontaneously felt to the fortunate during the fruition of their virtuous deeds.  

The Anandamaya Kosha cannot be the Atman, because it is endowed with changeful attributes. It is a modification of Prakriti. It is the effect of past good deeds. It has an end. You are not the Anandamaya Kosha. This sheath is not yours also. It constitutes the causal body. You are entirely distinct from this sheath. You are always the knower of this sheath. In the illustrations, 'My cow', 'my son', 'my wife', 'my house', the cow, the son, the wife and the house are entirely separate from man. Man generally says, 'My body, my Prana, my intellect, my senses, my ignorance'. This means that the body etc., are different from their proprietor indicated by the word 'my'. It is obvious that all the things are related to a Being which is beyond them all. The relationship is one of property towards its proprietor. You can clearly understand by the practice of 'Neti, neti' doctrine (a continuous process of elimination) that the body, Prana, mind, etc., are not the Soul or Atman, but belong to it.

Man generally says: I am the enjoyer. I am happy. I am peaceful. I am contented. I am Sattvic. I am Rajasic. I am Tamasic. I am a dull man. I am an ignorant man. I am a miserable man. I am a discontented person. I am a man of discrimination. I am a vicious person. I am a deluded person. Here the attributes of the Anandamaya Kosha are falsely ascribed to the Atman.  

The following entry is for the utility of Hindu aspirants who are familiar with Panchakosha:

The following entry is for the utility of Hindu aspirants who are familiar with Panchakosha:

Awareness of that reflection of atman/self within the most subtle sheath, Anandamayakosha, however, is but the foundation for discerning that which the elements, energies, senses, and kosha serve. To that end, one re-examines the components of the five koshas in daily devotional meditation after recitation of twenty-one OM, viz, one OM per each of the five elements, the five pranas, the five indriyas, and the five kosha, equaling twenty OM, then a twenty-first OM is offered for the ineffable, such that a spiritual discernment of ever-increasing subtlety arises in the purified intellect, alaya nirvijnana, the womb of the tathagata, wherein silence ensues and clarity blossoms.

Awareness of that reflection of atman/self within the most subtle sheath, Anandamayakosha, however, is but the foundation for discerning that which the elements, energies, senses, and kosha serve. To that end, one re-examines the components of the five koshas in daily devotional meditation after recitation of twenty-one OM, viz, one OM per each of the five elements, the five pranas, the five indriyas, and the five kosha, equaling twenty OM, then a twenty-first OM is offered for the ineffable, such that a spiritual discernment of ever-increasing subtlety arises in the purified intellect, alaya nirvijnana, the womb of the tathagata, wherein silence ensues and clarity blossoms.

==See also==

==See also==