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The Five Layers Around The Soul

Understanding the five kośas reveals the soul's journey toward liberation.

The individual soul comes and goes, distinct from the universal ātmā. It is covered by five layers. Annamaya kośa is the physical body, nourished by food. Food shapes the mind and speech. Prāṇamaya kośa is the vital energy sustaining the body. When prāṇa leaves, the elements separate—that is death. Manomaya kośa is the mind, coordinating body, energy, and intellect. The mind governs ten senses: hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch, speech, hands, legs, and so on. The mind can bind or liberate. Vijñānamaya kośa is intelligence. Ānandamaya kośa is the causal body, the seat of desires. Through these layers, the soul either descends into further creation or ascends to merge with Brahman. Missing the final step means returning to countless rebirths. Therefore, guard your nourishment, practice steadily, and refine the mind. This human body is a rare chance. Life is a journey; make the right step.

"Jaisā Khāī Anna, Vaisā Rahe Mana. How you eat, like that will be your mind."

"In autumn, the leaf falls down from the branch. The wind blows it away. We don’t know how far."

Filming location: Vép, Hungary

Oṁ Karavindu Sāyuktaṁ Nityadāyanta Yogīna Kaṁdaṁ Mokṣa Nāṁceva Oṁ Karaye Namo Namaḥ. Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaḥ, Sarve Santu Nirāmayāḥ, Sarve Bhadrāṇi Paśyantu, Mā Kaścid Duḥkha Bhāgbhavet. Oṁ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ... Address to our masters, Imadāt Mestrainknek. Blessings to all of you from our Alakh Purījī, Siddha Pīṭh Paramparā, all dear ones in this hall, and those who are with us through webcast around the world. Welcome. And blessings are coming to you from the beautiful country, Hungary. And welcome you on the first Thursday, the Guruvāra, in July 2014. We are approaching Guru Pūrṇimā very soon. Already, the moon is preparing with full power to bless us and sign on us, and bestow the immortal light of the moon. Happy to know that your sādhanā is going very well. Also, the Kriyā Anuṣṭhāna. A Kriyā Anuṣṭhāna is not only for physical health but also for spiritual development and achievement. Life is a journey, not a destination. But it seems that we have now reached the last milestone in order to step into the Brahmaloka. In 1999, the Euro was still not completed, one cent. So that one is very important. So this last step towards the Brahmaloka, the last milestone, if we miss it, then we don’t know where we will again access from the one-way highway. We don’t know where this soul will arrive. Karma and destiny are not affecting only our physical body. This is very temporary. But what we call destiny and karma is affecting the individual soul. So there are two selves. One is called the self, the soul, that is individual, and another one is called the self, the ātmā, that is not individual, that is universal. Coming and going, born and die—born and die is the body, coming and going is the soul. The soul exists within the one phenomenon that is called the different kinds of bodies. Generally, physical, mental, and subtle body. But according to the Vedānta, there are five different kinds of layers over the soul. These are the layers, one after another, like an onion: Annamaya, Prāṇamaya, Manomaya, Vijñānamaya, and Ānandamaya Kośas. These are five layers. Kośas means the quarters. You know, there is one beautiful doll which originated from Russia. It is called Grandmother. And when you open this doll, the inside is exactly the same. Open the second, also inside. Third, also inside. This is the dynasty, the generation. You know, when you open one, the second one is there already. So, the grandchildren are our doll, and your own children are your capital. And grandchildren are the interest of the capital. So, capital we have it already. But how much interest will we get? That is what we are longing for. So the grandchild here is the interest, chingyan. So, like this, Annamaya Kośa is the body of nourishment. Anna is generally food. And when we want to know exactly more than the means, the grains. And grain means the seed, and seed means life. And that life means that individual saw the seed, which will grow again. But in order to see the seed of the seed, the seed has to die. To order to see the inside doll, the grandmother has to take her head away. The seed sprouts and loses its form, and it grows into a plant or a tree and will create seeds. Likewise, the seed produces seeds and multiplies, but you never know from where this seed came. That’s it. So the seed is something very important. And when the seed goes away from the plant, we don’t know where the seed will fall. Paṭṭā Ṭūṭā Ḍāla Se Legā, Pavana Udāi, Aba Bichure Kab Milenge, Dūra Paḍenge Jāi. In autumn, the leaf falls down from the branch. The wind blows it away. We don’t know how far. Patta Tutta Dal Se Lega, Pavan Udai. The wind has blown away. Don’t know where we will fall, fell into the ground somewhere. And we don’t know if we will again come to our branch. Patta tutta dalasi, the leaf falls down. Légei pavan udai, the destiny of the wind took away. Ab bichreṅ, ab mileṅgī, this separation, when will we come together again? Dur padengi Jai, very far distance. That is the destination. And the distances, how and what will happen? So, in the seed, there is a tendency to grow. But at the same time, the seed should know, "Now my life is finished." But the energy which is life inside, that will grow. So, Annamaya Kośa means this body of nourishment. And this body is given to multiply. Or to merge into the origin. Two things only. Multiply means to come again to this saṃsāra, this mortal world. And become one with the Brahman, meaning the immortal one. So when the soul is descending, the seed is descending on the ground. Will sprout, Kihajt, and create the karmas. If the soul is ascending to Brahman, then it becomes one, neither coming nor going. Ekam Nityam, only one, everlasting, unbreakable, unsakeable, pure, undescribed. Leírhatatlan. This is the destination of the soul. But life is a journey. Apvarga is the world; Svarga is the heaven. The decision is in your hands, but which karma, which action should we do? Otherwise, continue the creation. The United Nations, for the last decade or more than a decade, has been constantly talking about sustainable development, about sustainability. But what humans are doing today is not sustainable. But what God created is sustainable. What man created is not sustainable. God made world is perfect, and man made world is imperfect. And between both, we are. That’s it. Annamaya Kośa, the body of nourishment. Now, each kernel which we eat is the blood of the herbs that we eat. Or each leaf of the vegetable that we eat, including fruits, it has energy, particular energy, which will influence our soul, and also our consciousness, and this, also our intellect, also our way of thinking. We say, Swāmījī, this is too wide, what to talk about, of esteemed. I can give you a very good example; immediately you will accept and agree with me. Whatever we eat, you will see. The nourishment is of two kinds: solid and liquid. Drink one liter of vodka, and let it be how it will be. How will it speak? The vodka? How is the body imbalanced? How is intellect polluted? Yes, that’s it. Or eat something, but we call some, that you should not eat, but there are some kind of green leaves, they call marijuana. Then you will know how you talk. That’s it. Alcohol creates more aggressive thoughts. Marijuana affects peaceful thoughts. When someone has taken marijuana or opium, it is very peaceful. When you ask something, then very relaxed, will say, "No, it is not like that, it is like that." And you said one word, and that tells you 25 words. That’s it. But I would suggest you don’t use none of them. Don’t use that. Therefore, drink nice, pure water and nice vegetables. Jaisā Khāī Anna, Vaisā Rahe Mana. How you eat, like that will be your mind. Jaisā Pīe Pānī, Vaisī Bole Bānī. What kind of liquid you drink, like that you will be speaking. Jaisā Kare Saṅga, Vaisā Lage Raṅga. What kind of society you have, or companion with you, that habit you will accept. Annamaya Kośa: We are more aware in the present time about our body. So the body is not immortal. It will not be with us forever. Body is not everything. But everything that we want to achieve is not possible without the body. So everything is nothing without the body. That’s why it is said, health is not everything. But everything is nothing without health. So, the Annamaya Kośa, the nourishment, what we eat and drink, that has an effect on our body. For the last four days, I have been continuously saying, the bright future of humanity, peace and harmony on this earth, health and happiness can only be realized if everyone learns proper cooking. No one will be unhappy in the world, no one will be unemployed, no one will be suffering, and no one will have existential fear. You know, my dear, in the world, 93% of people cannot cook. Day by day, we are getting dependent. Use and throw. Buy and eat. Microwaves. The microwave is very quick. So the date will be very quick. That’s it. So, who can cook the best food? Vegetarian. Then you are healthy and happy. So the best profession you will have is cooking. And healthy you will be. That’s it. And finally, you have to come to the cooking course to be healthy. When other people come and see the people in our hall, who are all sitting here, then they are surprised. How nice body figure they have. You look very sporty, very serene, immovable, and beautiful. My God! Yes! This is because you eat healthy food and you practice your yoga. Among all of you, only one has a purposefully different purpose of the body. To demonstrate something, that’s your master. He has to demonstrate Agni Sākṣīkriyā; otherwise, you don’t see. If Peter will show us, then you will not see the movement, and the Master’s stomach, he says, big movement. That’s called Prāṇamayakośa. So you have only Annamayakośa? Yes. And the Master has the Prāṇamayakośa. That prāṇa, subtle energy, this prāṇa is like cement between two bricks. Keeps five elements together: aether, air, fire, water, and earth. If prāṇa is gone out of the body, then this body is called a dead body. All elements will separate: air in air, water in water, earth in earth, space in space. So life is prāṇa. We call it, he gave up the prāṇa. Prāṇa has gone. That life is gone. Therefore, the Prāṇamaya Kośa is the vital energy of the Annamaya Kośa. What kind of food do you eat? So Prāṇa, Annamayakośa, and Prāṇamayakośa have a very close relation. Five different kinds of Prāṇas: Prāṇa, Apāna, Samāna, Udāna, Vyāna, etc. You know all: prāṇa, apāna, samāna, vyāna. After comes the Vijñānamayakośa. Vijñānamaya Kośa is our intelligence, intellect. And between these three: our intellect, our prāṇas, and our Annamaya Kośa, the physical body. Between these, coordinating one mighty power, that’s called the Manomaya Kośa. Man means mind. Therefore, it is said, this saṃsāra is only mind. This saṃsāra is created out of the mind. The mind. But it’s moving in us and leading here and there, and coordinating between is the mind. Mind is a messenger. Mind is inspiring. The mind is acting, and you see what you want to see through your mind. So mind is a mighty elephant, and this mighty elephant has around him ten wild horses. And this part, ten horses are the ten senses: five senses of knowledge. Jñānendriyas. Through which, from birth till today, whatever we learned, we learned through these five jñānendriyas. No sixth one. Two ears, the hearing, visions, smell, taste and touch. These are the five jñānendriyas. And whatever we learn, so, the sound which can manipulate us. So, it is said, if someone tells you something, you should have at least some intelligence. Someone tells you some bad things, but at least you should have a good intellect, so that you can say, "Yes, yes, yes." But you say, "Yes," and then it is gone. So when you say "yes," you are taking in, and when you say "sir," you pull it out. So you listen and you put it out, spit it out. That is the action of the wise person. So what you hear, take its essence. Otherwise, you will be more unhappy and troubled. Just see the rusty versus rusty. How you look is how the world appears to you. So this vision creates the world in front of us. And the smell. Smell means good news or bad news. There are stinky things. Their words stink. But you can purify them. It is said, one fly was sitting on a sandal paste. Sandal is so beautiful and has a very good smell. And a fly was sitting. There was a small child who made the toilet. The fly smelled the toilet. She gave up the sandal smell and flew on that stink. So there are some people who have such beautiful, divine words in satsaṅg, but they are interested in what she is saying negatively. Your vṛtti, your attention is that fly which goes to the stink. One honeybee mistakenly came into the toilet. And you did not do it when you closed the toilet door. Very soon she will die. And if you open the door, she will quickly fly out and see flowers somewhere. So this is the difference in nature. Similarly, that smell means where your senses pull you. According to that, you know what your nature is. And the words and the taste. When something is tasteful, we eat. When there is no taste, we will not eat. After the throat, the elementary channel. When food comes below our throat, we don’t know if it’s bitter, sour, or what. It’s gone, but the taste is within the mouth. So that’s why God gave this indriya of taste. Otherwise, we will not eat, and we will die. So, what we call some people: they don’t eat for living, they are living for eating. We get more and more kilos. It doesn’t matter. But it is a test. Let’s eat, let’s eat. So this tongue kills us. We are the slaves of the taste. We are the slaves of the stink. We are stupid for listening to such a sound. And we are crazy to see destructive visions. And that’s finally the touch of our skin. Only we know what the present is; we feel it on the skin. How is inside, we don’t feel. So these five jñānendriyas and five karmendriyas: the words, the code, the urine, hands, and legs. Through this, we can do something, so our words can be like nectar. Or our words can be like a poison. So these ten indriyas, they are wild elephants, our heart says, "Sorry." But the mind is the mighty elephant. And your elephant is a very wise one, it should be. So, governing and steering all these senses. So the mighty power within us is the mind. This mind can kill us, or this mind can liberate us. And the fifth kośa within this individual soul is existing. Ānandamaya Kośa. Ānanda means pleasure. So pleasure means the desires. Paramānanda is called supreme bliss. So we are far from Paramānanda, but we are stuck in the Ānanda. This means desires, senses. So that’s called the causal body. Causal body means the body of the cause. So all cause, good or bad, is created by that Ānandamaya Kośa. If we, through our concentration, meditations, and careful living, can definitely achieve our destination. So our condition is like a climber climbing the rocks. Three or four hours we are hanging on the rocks and going up. Hard work, and the last half meter left, and the rope broke. What happens? Adi Om Tarsat. Chukkeko Charasi, if you miss it, you will come into this 28.4 million different creatures’ life. So don’t lose, don’t miss the chance. How many years have we been practicing? And if you now change something, you will not achieve it. Because time is little, and you don’t know where you will come again. Therefore, and don’t hurry, very carefully, step by step, think five times over. Not twice, and then make this step. This human life is very precious. This human body we can’t borrow anywhere; we can’t buy it. It is only by chance. Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān, Śrī Devpurīṣa Mahādeva Kī, Dharma Samrācaka Guru Svāmī Madhavānandajī Bhagavān, Satya Sanātana Dharma Kī, Oṁ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ, Kī Jaya, Hari Oṁ. So, I wish you all the best, and good night. Again, we will be webcasting tomorrow at 10:30. Looking forward to seeing you all, those who are with us.

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:

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