Page 254 - The Path of Grace

PATH OF GRACE
is necessary to appreciate the functioning of these Kosas. This enables us further to adopt ways and means, spiritual and otherwise, designed to perfect these layers.
Purification of these layers is very important for those who seek to know their real nature. The nature of the Kosas decides the purificatory process to be adopted. It is conventional to divide the chitta or performing mind into five different Kosas named Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya and Anandamaya Kosas.
The first and foremost layer of the mind is Annamaya Kosa. It is the physical body that grew in the womb of the mother with the help of the Anna or Food taken by the mother. Besides, even after birth, it has grown and is being sustained by food alone. After death, it becomes part of the Earth which produces Food. So it is called Anna-maya. It is the Sthula Deha, the gross body, which suffers grief and exults in joy. It has another name also called "Bhogaayathanam."
By understanding that the body is the base of the mind we are enabled to avoid the duality of mind
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