In the concept of Hindu religion , we have 5 sheaths or coverings that are described . The five are very easy to understand. They are
1. ANNAMAYA KOSH,
2PRANAMAY KOSH,
3 MANOMAY KOSH
4DNYANAMAY KOSH
5 ANANDMAY KOSH
The names are self explanatory as to what theses coverings are . Each is inner than the previous or subtler to be more accurate in stating. Translating it in English theses are
1 FOOD SHEATH
2. ENERGY SHEATH
3MAIND SHEATH
4INTECT SHEATH
5BLOSS SHEATH
The food sheath or Annamay Kosh is gross and seen be seen by everyone, but the other 4 are not seen and are subtle sheaths. The Food sheath or ANNAMAYA Kosh is given that name as the physical body need or is build by food that we eat. It depends upon the food and so it is called Food sheath or Annamay KOSH.
The energy that every living being has is called PRANA in Hindu religion. The life is other way to look at. In Indian languages when we say PRANA has left , we are talking about life has left or someone is dead .(But please do not misunderstand this PRANA for the Consciousness) So it is easy to understand that we call this PRANMAY KOSH or energy sheath .It has 5 different functions and names - so called PRANA, APAN,VYAN,UDAN AND SAMAN. Each has different bodily function and there can be defects in them . The location of theses PRANA is also different. When someone dies, each Prana leaves the body at different times - not all of them leave at the same time . One may have observed that the facial hair and nails grow for few days even after the so called physical body and that is due to the VYAN leaving at 14 days. Just a note - PRANA leaves in 48 to 64 minutes- less than an hour, APAN leaves in 8 to 18 hours , UDAN leaves in 6-12 hours , SAMAN leaves body in 20 minutes.
The MANOMAYA KOSH or the MIND sheath is the next one and is more subtle and one cannot see it but knows about it. We all now the mind and that is is part of the PRAKRUTI or the Nature. It is to some extent controlled by Intellect or BUDHHI .
The DNYANAMAY KOSH or Intellect is inner to Mind and it is not affected by emotions . The emotions affect Mind but the Intellect being superior to that is not affected and in a way it is due to the experience that we have had. Learning is a form of experience. My old example is when we go t a supermarket and see cookies, we do not grab and eat as we are told by our previous experience - The Intellect, that we must pay first and then eat it . The child who has not had that experience , will grab and eat . So the mind wants to eat and Intellect tells the Mind to wait till we have paid for it.
The inner to that or subtle to that is the BLOSS or ANANDMAY KOSH. This is the bliss beyond the Mind -Intellect and so it is called ANANDMAY KOSH.
