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Śramaņa, Vol 55, No. 10-12/October-December 2004
five essential components namely manas, buddhi and five types of prāņa-vāyu.''It is made of very minute materials, therefore, it can not be perceived at the time of death. Commenting on Bșhadāraṇyaka Upanişad, Sarkara has mentioned the composition of the subtle body. According to him subtle body is made of five quintuple elements, five motor organs, five cognitive elements, five vital forces, mind, intellect, egoism, memory, avidyā, attachment, (kama), merit and demerit and law of karma.'' It is eternal till it is liberated. In a dream state it is the sūkṣma śarīra who witnesses all the actions when all the sense-organs are disassociated with manas.
According to Vedānta five kośas (sheath) are responsible for the function of body. These five kośas are - annamaya, prāṇamaya, jñānamaya, manomaya, ānandamaya. Among five kośas jñānamaya, manomaya and prānamaya are called sūksma śarīra. In Vedānta, the function of subtle body is little bit different from the function of Sāṁkhya. Sūkşma śarīra consists of three powers [1] Power of knowledge, [2] Power of desire and [3] Power of action. The jiva is intermixed with the kośas at the time of liberation. Vijñānamaya kośa is responsible for the power of knowledge. The manomaya kośa includes all the actions. The vijñānamaya kośa stops functioning during the course of sleep.'' Annamaya and manomaya kośas are always under the process of changes. The Prānamaya kośa is the binding force which is responsible for all the mental and physical activities in the body. Dream is the manifestations of the subtle body in which objects are created by sub-conscious impressions.20 ACcording to Caraka Samhitā, the human body is made of pañcamahābhūtas, which is also the seat of consciousness,2' The union of Sukra (sperm) and somita (ovum) are responsible for the formation of foetus. The ātman come into the contact with śukra (semen) and śoṇita (ovum) along with the subtle elements (bhūtātma).22 Similarly, in the Suśruta Samhitā, it is mentioned that the subtle body enters the mother's body at the time of the union of the sukra and śoṇita.23 Both the sukra (sperm) and soņita (ovum) are made of pañcamahābhūtas. Prthivi (earth) and apa (water) are the dominate bhūtas in semen while tejas (fire) is more dominate in ovum 24
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