Part I: Chapter I / IV

Relationship between the three Bodies and the five Koshas

The human body consists of three raiments: physical, astral or subtle, and the causal or seed-body.

In the physical body we have all the five koshas or coverings, and that is why we, in our waking state, get some knowledge and experience of the five things: bliss, cognition (inner or outer), mindfulness (chit and its vritis or mental modulations), pranic vibrations and the physical system.

As one rises into the astral or the subtle body, one loses consciousness of the physical existence, while the soul mentally experience the rest of the four states, viz., bliss, cognition, mindfulness and pranic vibrations.

As the spirit travels higher on into the causal body, even the mental apparatus itself drops off and only the Power of smriti (remembrance) remains, and it witnesses and gives an account of the bliss experienced in that state.