LalithA SahasranAma [428] paNcalosAntarasthitA

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paNcalosAntarasthitA: Residing in the five sheaths.

 

These five [kosas] are the five employed in the worship of the five

deities. These five are, according to the JNAnArnava, "SrividyA,

Paramjyotis, ParA, Niskalasambhavi, and the AjapAmantra, and these

five in the SriCakra, the last four [Paramjyotis, etc] are to be

worshipped individually and collectively in the Srsti and other cakras

which are surrounding [the Sricakra]. But the SrividyA is the bindu in

the centre. Thus she is in the midst of the five sheaths.

 

There are in our bodies the five sheaths called annamaya, prAnamaya,

manmaya, vijnAnamaya and Anandamaya, each involved in the preceding

one, of these five, the innermost last is the Anandamaya, with that

she is identified. In the Ved. SU. {I.1.12-19] by the VrttikAra it is

explained that Anandamaya is Brahman. But our holy AcArya says, that

Anandamaya sheath is not Brahman because it is impure and is included

among the annamaya an dother sheaths which are to be abandoned [lit.

purified]. In that case, according to the Srikantha-bhAsya and its

commentaries, the Anandamaya is in the form of cit-sakti which is the

body of Brahman, who is the parAkasa itself, as we see [in the Tai.

Up. II. 7.1], "This ether is Ananda [brahman}".

 

In the opinion that }Brahman is the support of the Anandamaya," the

meaning is taht she is in the centre of these five [sheaths]. This [we

think] is correct, because the Brahma-gita [iII. 45 and 46 of Su.

Sam] confirms this verse. "So the Anandamaya also is filled by another

Brahman, which is the witness, omnipresent. That Brahman is called the

support which is existence, wisdom and unity. That is the one ever

remaining essence. O great Devas, do not think otherwise."

 

The KrodhabhattAraka [DurvAsas] also says, "O mother, blazing with

radiant light, he, who knws you as surrounded by the five sheaths,

anna, prAna, manas, buddhi and Ananda, with the marks of head, wings,

support [lit tail] and trunk, described by the words of the

Mahopanisad, indeed is the knower of Brahman."

 

 

BhAskararAya's Commentary

Translated into English by R. Ananthakrishna Sastry