The Five Sheaths and the Path of the Disciple
The human being is composed of five sheaths, progressing from the gross to the subtle. The first is the physical Annamaya Kośa, nourished by food. Next is the Prāṇamaya Kośa, the sheath of vital energy. Then comes the Manomaya Kośa, the mental sheath. The fourth is the Vijñānamaya Kośa, the sheath of knowledge and discernment. The final sheath is the Ānandamaya Kośa, the sheath of bliss. All illness and karma originate in the bliss sheath and descend through the others to manifest in the physical body.
A spiritual master seeks a capable disciple to impart his essence. Disciples are of three types: supreme, middling, and inferior. One must either participate in creation through marriage and family or attain Brahmajñāna, liberating knowledge. To linger without fulfilling either purpose is to remain stuck. Spiritual practice involves purifying action, speech, and thought across all five sheaths. The accumulated impressions from these layers form one's destiny. A true disciple ensures the master's spiritual legacy continues, just as a child continues a family line.
"Every creature born with a physical body must participate in creation."
"All illness begins from the Ānandamaya Kośa, coming from above. It descends step by step to finally attack the physical body."
Filming location: Vép, Hungary
Up next
Nothing belongs to you
Nothing belongs to you, and all things are impermanent.
Yoga's first principle is that nothing exists forever and nothing belongs to you. This truth was even accepted by those under a communist system. No wealth, friends, family, or even your own body belongs to you; all are temporary and will be taken. It is ignorance to think otherwise. Therefore, it is foolish to be sad when someone leaves. Only one reality exists—your Self or God—and all else is duality and non-reality. Everyone will disappoint you, but the Lord will not. A story illustrates this: a farmer dreamed a full life with a family, only to wake minutes later to a real family grieving a dead child. He wondered for which loss to cry. This world may be like a dream. Since nothing is permanent, do not ruin your life with sadness for what is gone. Have the memory, but do not be depressed. Be in deep rest.
"Nothing belongs to you. No wealth belongs to you, no friends belong to you, not your parents, nor your brothers and sisters, nor your husband or wife. Even this body does not belong to you."
"What comes, comes; what goes, goes. Therefore, do not be sad and do not be depressed. Be in deep rest, and deep rest is the best."
Filming location: Banska Bystrica, Slovakia
DVD 242
Around the world -- Yoga against diabetes from Czech Republic
Yoga addresses modern diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes through holistic practices. Prolonged stress disrupts physical and mental balance, leading to illness. The system views these conditions from a holistic perspective, where emotional and psychological stress contribute alongside organic dysfunctions. Practices such as relaxation, āsanas, and meditation can influence insulin-producing cells and control disease factors. These techniques shape our attitude toward health, cultivating relaxation, balance, and discipline to achieve physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. The exercises are systematically arranged for accessibility, even for the elderly or those with limited mobility. Practitioners need only the determination to improve concentration, physical condition, and mental calmness. Teachers should emphasize slowness, calmness, and harmonization, instilling the principle of observing one's body and breath. The practice supports reducing adipose tissue and involves specific movements performed with mindful observation.
"Yoga practices shape our attitude toward health and life."
"Practitioners should be instilled with the principle of perceiving their own body, observing the rhythm of the breath."
Filming location: Czech Republic
Around the world - Anandpuriji Sannyas
The recitation is a hybrid of mantras, blending the Gāyatrī with other Vedic phrases. This creates a continuous, unbroken sequence without explanatory context. The canonical source for this specific combination is not clarified. The structure is unclear, making logical flow difficult to assess. The interpolation of phrases appears to be a deviation from standardized Vedic recitation. This presents a potential textual inconsistency.
"Oṃ Bhūr Bhuvaḥ Svaḥ Tat Savitur Vareṇyaṃ Bhargo Devasya Dhīmahi Dhiyo Yo Naḥ Prachodayāt"
"Rāmātmā Siddhi Yajurbe Denā Jiṣṭasomam Vibhsvah"
Yoga is for the whole Earth
A story illustrates human kindness and the universal essence of yoga. A medical situation in India prompted an immediate and coordinated response from contacts in Austria, arranging care and transport. This demonstrated a system where care is provided without discrimination, solely based on shared humanity. The event highlights a principle: we must take care of humans. The current age, Kali Yuga, is marked by division and the ego's declaration of "I am the best." Yoga is the means to cleanse the mind, and it is for all life, not any single country or religion. Yogic postures are inspired by nature—trees and animals. We cannot correct others, only ourselves. The correction begins by affirming "I am human" and recognizing our connection to all.
"Yoga is life, for the whole earth."
"There was no one word, religion, in Satyuga, Dvāparayuga, Tretāyuga."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
