Pranamayakosha- The vital energy sheath/ layer

What is Pranamayakosha?
Functions of Pranamayakosha and Panchvayu
How to work on Pranamayakosha?

Explanation of Pranamayakosha in Taittriya Upanishad

What is pranamayakosha?

Translation: prana maya kosha (प्राण मय कोश); prana (प्राण)- vital energy; maya (मय)- composed of, made of; kosha (कोश)- layer, sheath, covering;

Pranamaya kosha is one of the five sheaths (Panchakosha) which is composed of prana, the vital energy. Prana is not just any energy, it is an intelligent form of energy that already knows what to do. It is this energy which is making the organs and the systems in our body work. It is the source of life.

If the Pranamayakosha becomes blocked or disturbed, it leads to a lack of energy and sickness, when the prana stops entirely this is when the physical body cannot remain alive.

Its physical functions are the movements of energy necessary for the working of our bodies and their systems. At the same time, its mental functions allow for movement of thought and transfer of information.

The Prana or life force flows through our bodies through Nadi channels (energy channels) and is not visible in the physical body but can be felt as sensations.

Functions of Pranamayakosha and the Pranavayus

The movement of Prana in the body happens with the help of the air and space elements (called Vata or Vayu). This Vayu is divided into further five parts called the panchavayu (pancha- five; vayu- wind, air). These five are the names given to the nature of movements in the body, which serve to energize and connect our activities on all levels.

These five parts of the pranamayakosha are prana, apana, vyana, samana and udana vayu. They affect us on our physical, mental as well as psychological levels.

Pranamayakosha and panchvayu on a physical level

On the physical level, the prana takes care of all the functions in the body.

Prana Vayu	Function– Eating food, swallowing, inhalation, sensory perception Position– Heart, Brain
Samana Vayu	Function– Digesting food, nutrition, metabolism, homeostasis Position – Above the Navel, below the sternum
Apana Vayu	Function– Eliminating waste material from the food, reproduction, immunity Position– Below the navel
Vyana Vayu	Function– Bringing nutrients to the body, movement, circulation Position– Whole body, especially the heart, and limbs
Udana Vayu	Function– Converts energy from food, to physical work, speech, exhalation, growth Positon– Upper chest, throat, and head.

Pranamayakosha on a mental level

The mental level here means the sensory mind

Prana Vayu	Responsible for the intake of impressions and ideas
Samana Vayu	‘Digests’ or processes them
Apana Vayu	Removes waste material (negative thoughts and emotions)
Vyana Vayu	Circulates the information
Udana Vayu	Positive mental work and exertion

Pranamayakosha on a psychological level

The psychological level here means the way your patterns change your behavior.

Prana Vayu	Absorption of positive impressions and thoughts, as well as the capacity to bring the mind into a balanced state. Disturbing it prevents you from bringing in positive impressions, meaning you see the negativity in every situation, and irrational fears/anxiety can manifest.
Samana Vayu	Processing thoughts, reasoning, and the ability to let go. It directly affects our physical digestion which is why chronic problems like Irritable Bowel Syndrome are heavily linked to the mind. Disturbing Samana causes psychological congestion and attachment., along with the inability to be alone. It will lead to instability in the nervous system and long-term mental imbalance.
Apana Vayu	Warding off negativity, the force of gravity in the mind. Disturbed it tends to lead to depression and becoming overrun with feelings of stagnation and decay.
Vyana Vayu	Outward movement and activity, are linked to expansive feelings of happiness and independence. Disturbed it can cause tremors in the body or agitation in the mind. It causes alienation and isolation and prevents you from getting along with other people.
Udana Vayu	Enthusiasm, willpower, and motivation. It is linked to the ability to feel elated, proud, or exalted. If it is disturbed, uncontrolled upward movements can occur like coughing or uncontrolled talking (word vomit). In excess, it will make you vain, domineering, and intolerant. When completely blocked, it leads to deep depression, and the inability to speak or express themself.

How to work on pranamayakosha?

All the five koshas are interconnected and affect one another, working on one level can have an effect on the other. But if you want to specifically work on the pranamayakosha then these activities can help.

Pranayama – These are some breathing exercises that help you to unblock the energy channels (Nadi) and knots (granthis) in your body.
Marma point massage – Marma points are energetic points in our body. Ayurveda mentions 108 of these marma points. Other traditions researched further into these points to create systems used in acupuncture, and acupressure.
Asana – The body has its own way of remembering all of your past experiences. This can manifest as chronic pain, tightness in the muscle, muscular imbalances, poor posture, problems with internal organs, etc. When asana is used with awareness targeted for your individual needs it can be one of the fastest transformative practices.
Mudra – These are ways to create specific energy circuits in the body. There are different types of mudras, some made with the hands, some made with the whole body, and some made by specific internal muscle contractions. The effect of mudras can be profound and powerful although the effect may not be immediately obvious.

Explanation of pranamaya kosha in Taittrya Upanishad.

Sanskrit Verses

तस्माद्वा एतस्मादन्नरसमयात् । अन्योऽन्तर आत्मा प्राणमयः ।
तेनैष पूर्णः । स वा एष पुरुषविध एव ।
तस्य पुरुषविधताम् । अन्वयं पुरुषविधः ।
तस्य प्राण एव शिरः । व्यानो दक्षिणः पक्षः ।
अपान उत्तरः पक्षः । आकाश आत्मा ।
पृथिवी पुच्छं प्रतिष्ठा । तदप्येष श्लोको भवति ॥ १॥
प्राणं देवा अनु प्राणन्ति । मनुष्याः पशवश्च ये ।
प्राणो हि भूतानामायुः । तस्मात् सर्वायुषमुच्यते ।
सर्वमेव त आयुर्यन्ति । ये प्राणं ब्रह्मोपासते ।
प्राणो हि भूतानामायुः । तस्मात् सर्वायुषमुच्यत इति ।
तस्यैष एव शारीर आत्मा । यः पूर्वस्य ।

English Transliteration

tasmādvā etasmādannarasamayāt. anyo’ntara ātmā prāṇamayaḥ.
tenaiṣa pūrṇaḥ. sa vā eṣa puruṣavidha eva.
tasya puruṣavidhatām. anvayaṃ puruṣavidhaḥ.
tasya prāṇa eva śiraḥ. vyāno dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ.
apāna uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ. ākāśa ātmā.
pṛthivī pucchaṃ pratiṣṭhā. tadapyeṣa śloko bhavati.

prāṇaṃ devā anu prāṇanti. manuṣyāḥ paśavaśca ye.
prāṇo hi bhūtānāmāyuḥ. tasmāt sarvāyuṣamucyate.
sarvameva ta āyuryanti. ye prāṇaṃ brahmopāsate.
prāṇo hi bhūtānāmāyuḥ. tasmāt sarvāyuṣamucyata iti.
tasyaiṣa eva śārīra ātmā. yaḥ pūrvasya.

Word by word meaning

Tasmādvā (तस्माद्वा)- therefore; etasmād (एतस्माद्)- from which; annarasamayāt ( अन्नरसमयात्)- food and taste come from; anyo’ntara (अन्योऽन्तर)- (there is) other separate; ātmā (आत्मा)- self; prāṇamayaḥ (प्राणमयः)- made of prana;

tenaiṣa (तेनैष) – therefore, this; pūrṇaḥ (पूर्णः)- filled; sa vā eṣa (स वा एष)- with this (prana); puruṣavidha (पुरुषविध)- a form of man; eva (एव)- verily, certainly;

tasya (तस्य)- this; puruṣavidhatām (पुरुषविधताम्) – human form (layer); anvayaṃ (अन्वयं)- is a result of, succession, cause and effect; puruṣavidhaḥ (पुरुषविधः)- (former) human form (layer);

tasya (तस्य)- its; prāṇa (प्राण)- prana; eva (एव)- is; śiraḥ (शिरः)- head; vyāno (व्यानो)- vyana is; dakṣiṇaḥ (दक्षिणः)- (the) right; pakṣaḥ (पक्षः)- wing, side;

apāna (अपान)- anana; uttaraḥ (उत्तरः)- (is) left; pakṣaḥ (पक्षः)- side; ākāśa (आकाश)- the sky, ether element; ātmā (आत्मा)- (is) self;

pṛthivī (पृथिवी)- earth element; pucchaṃ (पुच्छं) – (is) the tail; pratiṣṭhā (प्रतिष्ठा) – base, stability; tadapyeṣa (तदप्येष)- about that also, these; śloko (श्लोको)- verses; bhavati (भवति)- are there;

prāṇaṃ (प्राणं) – the life; devā (देवा) – evolved beings; anu (अनु)- after; prāṇanti (प्राणन्ति)- in the presence of prana; manuṣyāḥ (मनुष्याः) – human; paśavaśca ye (पशवश्च ये)- and also the animals;

prāṇo (प्राणो)- the prana; hi (हि)- (is) surely; bhūtānāmāyuḥ (भूतानामायुः)- (the) life of all beings; tasmāt (तस्मात्)- (and) therefore; sarvāyuṣamucyate (सर्वायुषमुच्यते)-(it) is called universal life;

sarvameva (सर्वमेव)- all of; ta (त) – them; āyuryanti (आयुर्यन्ति)- attain long life; ye (ये)- who; prāṇaṃ (प्राणं)- brahmo (ब्रह्मो)- as the absolute ; upāsate (उपासते)- worships, contemplates;

tasyaiṣa (तस्यैष)- this is; eva (एव)- the; śārīra ātmā (शारीर आत्मा)- embodied self; yaḥ pūrvasya (यः पूर्वस्य)- of the former (referring to annamaya kosha);

Translation

There is another separate self (layer) made of prana from which the food and taste come from. This form of human (sheath) is filled with this prana. This human form (the layer, pranamayakosha) succeeds the former human form (the layer, annamayakosha). Its head is prana, vyana is the right side; apana is the left side, the ether (element) is the self and the tail is earth (element) which provides stability. About that (prana) some more verses are there.

The evolved beings, humans, and animals live their life under the presence of prana; Prana is the life of all beings, therefore it is called the universal life. All of them who contemplate on prana as brahm (the absolute), attain long life; This is the embodies self of what has been described before (the annamaya kosha).

Commentary

After talking about the annamaya kosha, the author talks about the next layer which is made up of prana (pranamaya kosha). The head of this kosha is made of prana vayu, the right side is the vyana and the left side is apana. The self (with reference to the previous layer annamaya kosha) is the space element.

The author refers to the inner sheaths as the self (atman) of the former. A person who is stuck with the attachment of the food sheath, the physical plane will think of this life energy that is circulating the whole body as the true self. The unconscious patterns they repeat on the physical plane will give them happiness or sadness etc. For them, this inner state or inner space will become the self. Someone who has access to inner layers (eg. Intellect) could see through the state that the energy brings because of its ever-changing nature is transitory and not the true self. The same logic applies to whichever layer you are on.

The details about the prana, apana, etc are already mentioned above at the beginning of the article.