TAITTIRIYA UPANISHAD – 58. Rishi Yajnavalkya.

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Swami Chinmayananda:

Understanding the deeper truths of life requires a refined intellect and a pure heart. 

One must exert effort and not dismiss Vedanta, Philosophy or God  if it seems difficult to grasp, as profound truths are not immediately apparent.

For more inspiring and insightful thoughts, get your copy of READ DAILY, LIVE FULLY on-

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Monday 17, June 2024. 06:20.
Taittiriya Upanishad
Part-2.
BRAHMANANDA VALLI
PART 2: 9 No. Anuvakas (Chapters)
THE BLISS THAT IS BRAHMAN
Post - 58.

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UPANISHAD SARA SANGRAH 
Anuvaka 2.1 
The Essence of the Upanishads:

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“Satyam, Jnaanam, Anantam, Brahman” 
Bhashya A: 
“On the Nature of BRAHMAN” 
Coverage:   

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“PANCHA KOSHA VIVARANAM” 
Bhashya B: 
“The Differentiation of the Five Sheaths” 
Coverage:  From 2.1.4 – 2.6.2 (crosses 5 Anuvakas) 
Mantram - 2.1.4:  The Annamaya Kosha – Food Sheath

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Here begins the second major section of the Bhashya, on the subject of the Five 

Koshas. The Taittireeya Upanishad already provides the most thorough analysis of this topic 

to be found anywhere in the Upanishads. Sri Shankaracharyaji’s detailed Bhashya on it is not 

just the cherry on the cake, it is a flag on Mt. Everest!  

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The five sheaths are: 

i)   Annamaya Kosha:     food sheath.   (Anuvaka 1) 

ii)  Annamaya to Pranamaya Kosha:   Pranic sheath.   (Anuvaka 2) 

iii) Pranamaya to Manomaya Kosha:  mind sheath.   (Anuvaka 3) 

iv) Manomaya to Vijnanamaya Kosha:  intellect sheath. (Anuvaka 4) 

v)  Vijnanamaya to Anandamaya Kosha:  ‘Bliss’ sheath.   (Anuvaka 5) 

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Mantram - 2.1.4:  The Annamaya Kosha – Food Sheath: 

8  

sah vai eshah purushah =  He indeed is this Man,   

anna rasamayah; = consisting of the essence of food; 

9  

tasya idam iva shirah; = This is like his head; 

ayam dakshinah pakshah; = This is his right wing; 

ayam uttarah pakshah; = This is his left wing; 

ayam aatmaa; = This is his trunk;  

idam pucchham pratishthaa; = This is the hind part forming his support  

10  

tat api eshah shlokah bhavati: = About this also is the following mantram:  

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The quotation appears in the next Anuvaka, 2.2, describing the nature of Anna. 

8  

“Man is the essence of food” – this could be understood in two ways: 

i) Food enables growth of the Body: This is the ordinary meaning. By consuming food, 

we supply energy to the body to grow and also to carry out its functions. 

ii) The essence :

of Food reproduces another human Body: In this sense, what is meant 

is a transformation of the essence of food. In man, as in all living beings, there is the means 

to propagate that particular form of the species. This is done through the ‘seed’ of man, i.e. 

the semen, which is formed from the energy of all the limbs of the body. The semen may be 

said to be the very essence of food, as it has the power to create another human being.  

[At this point OBJ 8 arises.] 

9 

Referring to the overall human form, for the Annamaya Kosha each part is 

specified: a. the head; b. the right side; c. the left side; d. the trunk; and e. the supporting 

tail and legs. 10 The next Anuvaka quotes the Shruti describing the Annamaya Kosha. 

Objection 8:  Why is Man Considered as a Superior Being? 

Poorvapakshi: All beings are modifications of the essence of food. All are equally 

descendents of Brahman. Then why is man being given so much importance? 

Answer: Man is pre-eminent among all living creatures. He is more competent than 

any other creature. In his actions and in his knowledge he is second to none. He desires 

results and uses his knowledge and power of action to achieve them.  

A Vedic text states: “In man alone is the Self most manifest, for he is the best 

endowed with intelligence, whilst other beings are aware only of hunger and thirst. 

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THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE KOSHA THEORY :

 

The intention of this study is brought to our attention in the Bhashya. The ultimate 

purpose of the Upanishad is that it wants to direct man’s attention to the Pratyag Brahman 

(the inmost Brahman) through knowledge. However, that is too big a step from where we, 

the majority of people, are. We have to be taken step by step to that level. 


In order to do this, some external prop is needed for the intellect. The analogy of the 

“Moon and the Bough” is remembered here, as a perfect example of how a teacher shows 

the distant moon using the presence of a nearby tree to point it out. 


In the same way, an imaginary theory is created by which man begins to see his body 

as a ‘sheath’ or a wrapper around himself, to start with. The first of these wrappers is the 

Annamaya Kosha. That is where we begin ‘un-wrapping’ the Truth in order to discover 

Brahman within. 


The lines that make up this verse have an illustrative value. The same words will be 

used for all the other four Koshas as well. The head, then the right hand, then left hand, the 

trunk and finally the tail – all these five parts are figurative only, aimed to create a picture in 

the mind of the relationships between the various parts. Of special interest is the lower 

body below the navel which is called “the supporting tail” because it hangs down.

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Next

Anuvaka 2.2 

From Annamaya to Pranamaya 

Continued


Chinmaya Mission Mumbai:

Hari om.

We celebrated the 8th Anniversary of Chinmaya Pradeep in Sandeepany Sadhanalaya today with a paduka pooja and an online satsang. 

We thank everyone involved in the functioning of Chinmaya Pradeep and encourage more and more people to visit, learn, share about about Poojya Gurudev’s life, vision and work. 

Recordings are enclosed below. 

Highlights of 7th Year of Chinmaya Pradeep programmes from June 2023-May 2024

https://youtu.be/1590MywZguI

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know the self, know the self in Nature, know the self in Jiva, Further Oneness.

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