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meditation each Kosha into what is behind it, till he reachesthe innermost Atman behind the Koshas and then holds on tothat Atman alone. Step by step he abandons one Kosha afteranother and dissolves all of them and eventually attainsknowledge of unity with Brahman and becomes liberatedfrom the round of births and deaths. The main object of theSrutis also is to impart a knowledge of Brahman as the meansof attaining the highest goal or the final emancipation(Moksha).In order to transport man by the ship of Bratrma-Vidya tothe farthest shore of the great ocean (Koshas), the Sruti says,"This Atman is Brahman; Thou art That.'Just as a rope becomes a serpent, only on account ofignorance, so by Avidya or ignorance alone Atman becomesthe man of five Koshas and appears to suffer along with theKoshas.The Annamaya Kosha constitutes the gross physical body.The Pranamaya, the Manomaya and the Vijnanamaya Koshasconstitute the Linga Sarira or subtle body (astral body). TheAnandamaya Kosha constitutes the causal body (KaranaSarira).The physical body is formed of the essence of food. Thesubtle body is formed of unquintuplicated, Apanchikrita oruncompounded elements. The casual body is formed ofSamskaras or Moola Ajnana (primitive ignorance). TheAnandamaya Kosha is the cause for the subtle and grossbodies or the remaining four sheaths.Birth and death are the Dharmas (attributes) of theAnnamaya Kosha. Hunger and thirst are the Dharmas of thePranamaya Kosha. Moha (delusion) and Soka (grief) are theattributes of the Manomaya Kosha. The Atman is ever pureand unattached. He is absolutely free from the Shad Urmis orsix waves of the ocean of Samsara, viz., birth, death, hunger,thirst, delusion and grief.188 LECTURES ON YOGA AND VEDANTA