Verses II. i. 3. to II. v. 2. describe the five sheaths which constitute the embodied creature. They are the sheaths of food or matter, the prana or vital breath, the mind, the intellect, and bliss-arranged in telescopic manner, one inside another. The outer derives its reality from the inner. Brahman is the innermost reality; It is untouched by any of the sheaths, but is the unrelated ground of all. The physical sheath cannot function without being energized by the sheath of the prana, or vital breath; the mind directs the prana, and the intellect controls the mind; the intellect is dependent upon bliss.
~Nikhilananda
II.
i.
1. Om, the knower of Brahman attains the Supreme. With reference to that, is the following hymn recited: Brahman is the Truth, Knowledge and Infinity. He who knows It as existing in the cave of the heart in the transcendent ākāśa, realises all his desires along with omniscient Brahman.
2. From that (which is) this Ᾱtman, is space born; from ākāśa, air; from air, fire; from fire, water; from water, earth; from earth, herbs; from herbs, food; and from food, man.
3. He indeed is this man consisting of the essence of food. This is his head. This is his right wing. This is his left wing (side). This is his trunk. This is the hind part forming his support and foundation. About this also is the following Vaidika verse.
ii.
1. All beings that exist on earth are born of food. They, thereafter, live by food; again, they ultimately go back to it and merge to become food. So, verily, food is the eldest of all the creatures. On that ground it is called the medicament for all. Those who meditate on Brahman as food, indeed obtain all food. From food all beings are born, having been born, they grow by (consuming) food. Food is that which is eaten by the beings and also that which in the end eats them; therefore, food is called annam.
2. Other than that (soul) made up of the essence of food there is an inner soul (sheath) made of the prāṇa. With it this is filled. This (prāṇamaya) is of the same form as the previous. Its human form is exactly as the human form of the former. Of that, prāṇa is the head, vyāna is the right side, apāna the left side, ākāśa is the trunk, earth is the tail or the support. About this also there is the following Vaidika verse.
iii.
1. Through prāṇa, the gods (indriyas) live and so also do men and the animal kingdom. Prāṇa is verily the life of beings. Therefore, it is called the universal life or the life of all. Those who meditate on Brahman as prāṇa come to live the full span of their life. Prāṇa verily is the life of beings. Therefore, it is called universal life or the life of all.
2. Of that former (annamaya), this prāṇamaya is the ātman. Different from this prāṇamaya – self made up of the prāṇas, there is another self constituted of the mind. With that self made of mind, the prāṇamaya is full. This also is of the form of man. Its human form is according to that of the former. Of it, Yajus is the head, Ṛk is the right side, Sāman is the left side, the scriptural injunction (ādeśa) is the trunk and the group of hymns of Atharva-vada is the tail and the support. There is the following Vaidika verse about it.
iv.
1. Whence all the speech turns back with the mind without reaching It (the eternal Truth, the Brahman), He who knows the bliss of eternal Truth, the Brahman, fears not at any time. This mind is the embodied soul of the prāṇamaya. Of this (prāṇamaya) the manomaya is the Self.
2. Different from that made up of mind (manas) is another inner soul made up of intelligence (vijñāna) and by that this (manomaya- self) is filled. It also has the shape of man. According to the human shape of the previous, is the human shape of this one. Faith (śraddhā) is its head, righteousness (ṛtam) its right side, truth (satyam) its left side, yoga is the trunk and total intellect (mahaḥ) is the tail and the support. There is this following Vaidika verse about it.
v.
1. Knowledge performs the sacrifices and it is the real agent of all the physical activities. All the ‘gods’ worship Knowledge as Brahman, the eldest. If a man knows Knowledge as Brahman and if he does not swerve from it, he attains all desires and comes to abandon all the sins in the body.
2. Of That, of the former, this one verily is the embodied self. Different from this self made up of intellect (vijñānamaya) is another self within, formed of bliss (ānandamaya). By this, that is filled (by ānandamaya the vijñānamaya is full). It also has the shape of man. According to the human form of that is the human form of this. Of it, joy (priya) is the right side, rejoicing (moda) is the left side, and bliss (pramoda) is the trunk. Brahman is the tail support. There is this following Vaidika verse about it.
vi.
1. If he knows Brahman as non-existent, he becomes himself non-existent. If he knows Brahman as existent, then (they) the world knows him to be existent. Of the former (ānandamaya kośa), the Self is the essence.
~tr. Chinmayananda
Nikhilananda Notes:
2.1.3 The aim of the Upanishads is to teach a man the nature of Brahman, which is his inmost self. But his mind is identified with the various physical objects of the outer world. Without a visible symbol he cannot fix his mind on the transcendental Consciousness. Thus the visible body is described as a symbol of Atman. In this particular verse, the physical man is pictured as a bird, which resembles a sacrificial fire. This fire-arranged in the form of a hawk, a heron, or some other bird-has a head, two wings, a trunk, and a tail, The Taittiriya Upanishad describes all the different sheaths in a like manner.
2.2.2 The use of the word sheath (kośa) is apposite because the kośa resembles a scabbard which holds within it a sword. Four other sheaths will be described, one after another, in order to point out the innermost Self, or Atman, which is identical with Brahman and is beyond the body, the vital breath, the mind, the intellect, and bliss. The Upanishad here follows a process by which the external chaff is removed in order to reveal the innermost kernel. The five sheaths, though not Atman, are described as such, in a figurative sense, from the relative standpoint. They appear to be conscious, like Atman, because of their close proximity to Atman, as iron filings near a magnet appear to be active.
2.3.1 The word gods denotes such divinities as the gods of fire, water, etc. Prana signifies vāyu, or air. The meaning of the passage is that the gods breathe or become active after being energized by the prana, or air. Or, since the chapter deals with the soul, the word gods may mean the senses, and prana, the vital breath. The meaning would then be that the sense-organs become endowed with life through the vital breath. // The passage indicates that even the animals possess life and a soul. They too are endowed with five sheaths, presently to be described the subtle abiding within the gross, the inner permeating the outer -all of which are conjured up by avidyā, or ignorance. The innermost essence behind the sheaths is Atman, eternal and unchanging, which is defined as "Reality, Knowledge, and Infinity," and which belongs to human beings and animals alike.
2.5.2 The word ānandamaya (consisting of bliss) has the same termination (maya) as annamaya (consisting of food), pranamaya (consisting of prāna), etc. Therefore the sheath of bliss is also a change or modification, like the sheaths previously mentioned. It is not Ātman, or Brahman. Secondly, the Upanishad speaks of attaining the sheath of bliss. Therefore this sheath is an object and not Brahman. Thirdly, the sheath of bliss is described as being endowed with a head, a right wing, etc. Brahman is utterly devoid of parts. Fourthly, Brahman is described in the scriptures as being devoid of all attributes (Br. Up. II. iii. 6; III. viii. 8); but this is not true of the sheath of bliss. Lastly, Brahman is mentioned in the text as the support or tail of this sheath. Therefore the sheath of bliss is an effect, like the other sheaths, and not the Pure Brahman. Ananda, or bliss, is the fruit of knowledge and action. The sheath of bliss describes Brahman in Its aspect of the enjoyer. Though pure in Itself, Brahman becomes the enjoyer in the phenomenal realm by identifying Itself with the sheath of bliss.
2.6.1 Brahman is the ultimate support of the five sheaths. These sheaths have been described in order to demonstrate the transcendental Brahman. Through the contemplation of the sheath of bliss, the aspirant ultimately realizes the Pure Brahman. The example is given of the luminous ray of a gem, which is mistaken for the gem itself, but by following which one ultimately reaches the gem. Beyond the sheath of bliss there exists the Pure Brahman, which transcends all duality and is the substratum of the phenomenal universe.
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