Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 428: Shri Panca kosantara Sthita (ōṃ pañcakōśāntarasthitāyai namaḥ)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details. 

The Divine Mother resides within the five sheaths. 

There is no difference between the universe and the soul or the Divine Mother. In human setup, the soul gets involved with karma and goes through the birth and death cycles. The whole universe consists of many sub worlds or galaxies. In human form, the soul lives within five sheaths. Kosa or sheath or kavacham or shirt covering can be explained further through following example. Banana tree root is covered with many sheaths of its own Banana root layers. 

In Vedanta, the five sheaths (kosas) are mentioned as follows: annamaya; pranamaya, manomaya, vijnanamaya and anandamaya Kosas. They can be interpreted as food sheath, the vital air sheath, the mental sheath, the intellectual sheath and the bliss sheath respectively. Inside the inner most sheath (bliss sheath), the Divine Mother abides; She shines as Pure Consciousness. The system of these kosas is one of the greatest analytical concepts reached by our ancient sages. The present seekers of knowledge, including many foreigners marvel at this achievement. 

In the Brahma Gita, it is indicated that Brahman, which is the essence of existence, wisdom and oneness, fills the anandamaya kosa (bliss sheath) as the support and witness of all. It is eternal essence of everything. 

Krodhabhattaraka says, ”O Mother, he alone is the knower of Brahman who knows You, blazing with radiant light inside the five sheaths of anna, prana, manas, buddhi and ananda as described in Mahaupanisad.” In Guru Adi Sankara’s commentary on Brahma sutras, both the ancient views and Sankara’s own theory on these kosas are discussed. Taittirya Upanisad (Bruguvalli) also discusses the five kosas in details. 

In these five sheaths, anna is visible to us. With food eaten and growing the human bodies is called annamaya sheath. This annamaya sheath has growth and decay. The four elements earth, water, fire and wind are involved in human bodies. By looking after the human body, the life in it is looked after as well. 

Life is linked to pranakosa. When the body is destroyed, the life is also destroyed with it. Further manokosa is capable of having happiness and sorrows. It has the Sankalpa and nisankalpa rupa. The one with determination is called Sankalpa ; without determination but suddenly happening action is called nisankalpa. Plants have anna and prana kosa. All universal beings can realize happiness and sorrow. 

Manokosa is felt high in human lives, which have happiness and sorrow. A step further up is buddhi (Vengamamba kosa) which can differentiate between things with intellectual sharpness. Within this, reasoning ananda kosa lives there. It can explain the happiness and sorrow. There in lives the soul. Like Banana root and its own covering with banana root layers, the soul is covered by five sheaths. This is to reach the Paramanada state to be with Brahman, the Divine Mother. 

For the Divine Mother, annakosa with universal elements, the universe is shining.  When we recite this Namam “Panca Kosantara sthita, we visualise and realize that the Divine Mother’s five sheaths are best mediated. The devotee who is worshipping the Divine Mother chooses to mediate upon the five sheaths. 

Soul is covered with five sheaths. The Divine Mother is within these sheaths. Each sheath as if a deity is there to be worshipped and the Divine Mother is in the bindu. The Divine Mother is in all five deities or in their rupa also. 

In Tantrasastra, the five sheaths are mentioned according to Jnanarnava : Paramjoti, Para, Niskalasambhavi, Ajapa and Matruka. Inside these sheaths at the centre, is the cakra of bliss (Sarvanandamayi cakra) in the form of the bindu. The Divine Mother, Srividya, resides there. In each of these sheaths, the Divine Mother with the same name as the sheath covering that position is worshipped.

In another interpretation, the five sheaths represent five levels of Samadhi: Samya, Laya, Vinasa, Atyantabhava and Aikya.

·         In samya, the difference between the soul and Paramatman persists.

·         In laya, the above difference between the soul and Paramatman begins to reduce or disappear, but the sense of identity is not complete.

·         In vinasa, this soul and Paramatman difference disappears.

·         In next stage atyantabhava, the sense of identity between the soul and Paramatman becomes strong.

·         In aikya, complete oneness of the soul and Paramatman is attained.

 

    The Divine Mother abides in Bindu in Sricakra.

 C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 28 March 2021.

 

References:

1.       The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayi Center, San Ramon, California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2.       Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Trichirapalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Chithbavandar