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Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani describes the five levels of our existence, the Pancha Kosha in a class from CYTER, MGMCRI, Pondicherry. For more details visit Anything with a form/structure is a body represented by the Annamaya Kosha and when it functions, it is as if it has a Pranamaya Kosha. It is like a fan that has a structure, but only runs when electricity flows through it. Prana enables the structure to function. It gives the Shakti to do the activities as per the capacity of the structure. The physical heart is a part of the Annamaya and when the Prana flows, it beats because the Annamaya and Pranamaya are working in unison. But when we are human, there needs to be something more in addition to a basic structure and its functionality. That is MIND, the Manas that makes us a Manushya, Manithan, Maanav or human being. This is the potential of the Manomaya Kosha. An ability to know and respond to the surroundings accordingly is the lower part of the mind, something that is found even in animals. They respond or rather react to heat/cold, pain/pleasure, hunger, thirst, sound, sight etc. This is a typical reptilian, old brain response to stimuli that is part of us for millions of years. It is deeply ingrained in us too. That is why the four hungers are common to all living beings, desiring food, water, sleep and sex. What distinguishes them for us? What makes us a human/man/woman? It is Manas, the higher aspect of the Manomaya Kosha. This enables us to respond rather than react. The Annamaya kosha is the physical potential that we have as a human being. How much can we do? How far can we stretch? How much endurance/ strength/ flexibility do we have? But the actual potential is always much more than what we manifest. We are constantly growing, always a work in progress. All the physical practices we do in Yoga, enable this potential to manifest exponentially as best as possible within our limitations. We keep pushing our physical limits, breaking new barriers with each moment of our conscious life.
