Siddhas teachings about the Stages surrounding one’s soul

Siddha's teachings about the Stages surrounding one’s soul

Siddhas, by their meditation have found that a soul is surrounded by finite number of levels or stages. These stages are referred to as ‘Urai(உறை)’ or ‘Kosam(கோசம்)’ by the Siddhas. There are five kosams, described by them. They are,

• Annamaya Kosam (அன்னமய கோசம்)
• Pranamaya Kosam (பிராணமய கோசம்)
• Manomaya Kosam (மனோமய கோசம்)
• Vignjanamaya Kosam (விக்ஞானமய கோசம்)
• Aanandhamaya Kosam (ஆனந்தமய கோசம்)

All these stages are in correlation with each other. Each soul remains with all these stages. Let’s look about the different kosams in detail.

Annamaya Kosam:

One’s body remains active in nature because of food. It gets decayed in the absence of food. All the bones, blood, skin, flesh and other wastes are collectively represented as a body. It has no certainty, in any level of durability or wisdom. One who thinks and acts as if his body is going to be certain and he is nothing but that collective mass of tissue, is the most foolish person in the world. This shows his ignorance and lowest level of maturity.

Praanamaya Kosam:

Prranam means the air which is inhaled and which keeps us alive. The five subjects which are involved in action (கன்மேந்திரியங்கள்) are called as Praanamaya Kosam.  The body which is bound by air and wind is reffered to as Pranamaya Kosam.  This remains in a level of motility, as air is not stable and has a uncertain nature of coming and going. The body in this kosam is dominated and ruled by one’s thoughts, just the way as air fills up the space both inside and outside.

Manomaya Kosam:

The combination of mouth, ears, nose, eyes and the body, along with the soul is called as Manomaya Kosam. It is very powerful, because it is the stage where both love and hatred devolps in human beings.

Vignjanamaya kosam:

The compiled matter of mei, ears, eyes, nose, mouth and the mind of one is called as this Vignjanamaya Kosam. It is the level which identifies, knows and activates any object and claims the origin of the same. It is influenced by the acts of previous births. Hence it is the one which senses the pain and joy. It also experiences the conscious and sub-conscious states of the mind.

Aanandhamaya Kosam:

It is the divine state in which one remains the same in all situations of pain, joy and sleep. The goodness from previous births are experienced the some souls in this state. It is easily experienced by Siddha and Yogis.