The truth principle/Atman is behind the ego (ahamkara or "I-sense"). It is mutually exclusive to have both ego and self-realization, and upon dissolution of ego self-realization is only achievable. The Atman is not an objective experience (as the everything else) 1/9
but a subjective experience. Objective experience is perceived by the Body, mind and intellect which constitute the five sheaths (pancha kosha).
Pancha kosha (5 sheaths), are like coverings of the Atma (symbolized by Om). 2/9
The outer most is the food sheath as it is truly limited to the actual space it occupies, whilst as you go nearer to Atma it gets subtler and pervades a far greater space. The sheaths, in brief, are as follows: 3/9
1)Food sheath(annamaya-kosha)
The physical body which arises from the grains of the earth and returns to it on decomposition. This includes the 5 organs of perception(jnanendriyas), viz, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin and 5 organs of action (karmaendriyas), viz, speech, 4/9
hands, feet, genitals, and organs of evacuation.
2)Vital-air sheath (pranamaya-kosha)
These are the physiological functioning capacity of the physical body. These are prana (faculty of perception), apana (faculty of excretion), samana (faculty of digestion), 5/9
