What are the different types of Shariras (bodies) and their Tatvas?

Question

I've heard in this youtube video about the 5 types of Sharira (body). I remember Sthul sharir, Sukshma sharir, Kaaran sharir, Anand sharir. And Sukshma, Kaaran, Anand sharir each have 17 tatva. What are these sharir and their tatva? What are their significance?

Answer 1

According to Sarira Traya, the Doctrine of the Three bodies in Hinduism, the human being is composed of three sariras or "bodies" They are often equated with the five koshas (sheaths), which cover the atman. The Three Bodies Doctrine is an essential doctrine in Indian philosophy and religion, especially Yoga, Advaita Vedanta and Tantra.

The Taittiriya Upanishad Anuvaka two- Brahmavalli - Chapter 10-15 is describing these five Kosha's , Aman is covered by these 3 bodies or 5 kosha's.

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Sthula Sahrira or the Gross body i.e. the Annamaya Kosha (food sheath)

The Sthula Sharira or Gross Body and the Tatvas Or Elements associated with it are described in Sariraka Upanishad of KṚSHṆA-YAJURVEḌA.

Out of 24 elements, the physical body of us consists of five gross elements i.e Panch-Maha bhutas. They are - Pruthvi, Jal, Tej, Vayu, and Akash.

The body is a compound of pṛṭhivī (earth) and other mahābhūṭas (primordial elements, as pas or water, agni or fire, vāyu or air, and ākāś). (In the body), that which is hard is (of the essence of) earth; that which is liquid is (of the essence of) water; that which is hot is (of the essence of) fire; that which moves about is (of the essence of) vāyu; that which is perforated is (of the essence of) ākāś. The ear and others are the jñānenḍriyas (organs of sense). The ear is of the essence of ākāś, the skin of the essence of vāyu, the eye of the essence of fire, the tongue of the essence of water, and the nose of the essence of earth; sound, touch, form, taste, and odour being respectively the objects of perception for these organs. These arose respectively out of the primordial elements, beginning with earth. The mouth, the hands, the legs, the organs of excretion and the organs of generation are the karmenḍriyas (or organs of action). Their functions are respectively talking, lifting, walking, excretion, and enjoyment. Anṭaḥkaraṇa (or the internal organ) is of four kinds—manas, buḍḍhi, ahaṅkāra, and chiṭṭa. Their functions are respectively saṅkalpa-vikalpa, (or will-thought and doubt), determination, egoism, and memory. The seat of manas is the end of the throat, that of buḍḍhi the face, that of ahaṅkāra the heart, and that of chiṭṭa the navel. The bone, skin, nādis, nerves, hair, and flesh are of the essence of earth. Urine,

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Suksma Sharira or the Subtle body. This Sukshma Sharira is made up of three koshas

This Sukshma Sharira is made up of three koshas

Sukshma sharia consists of the 19 elements out of total 24 . Sometimes Ahamkar and Chitta are not included as part of sukshma sharira namely, five Prāns, Vishays, or Tanmatras; ten Indriyas, four Antahkarans, namely, Man, Buddhi, Chitt, and Ahamkar.

Adi Shankaracharya in his work Atma Bodha is describing this Subtle body and the Tatvas associeated with it.

पञ्चप्राण-मनो-बुद्धि-दशेंद्रिय समन्वितम |
अपंचीकृतभूतोत्थम सूक्ष्मांगम भोगसाधनं || 13||

Panch-prān-mano-buddhihi dashendriya-samanvitam
a-panchikrut-bhutotham sukshma-angam bhog-sādhanam.

The five Pranas, the ten organs and the Manas and the Buddhi, formed from the rudimentary elements (Tanmatras) before their “five-fold division and mutual combination with one another” (Pancheekarana) and this is the subtle body, the instruments-of-experience (of the individual)

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Pancha pranas are the 5 major vital energies . - Prana , Apana ,Samana, Udana ,Vyana .

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Five Jnanendriya - Five Sense Organs & their five Tanmatras and their elements.

• Ghrana - Gandha - smell. Associeated with earth.
• Rasana - Rasa - taste. Associeated with water element.
• Chakshu - Rupa - visual sight . Associeated with fire element.
• Tvak - Sparsha - touch . Associeated with air element.
• Shrotra - Shabda - hearing .Associeated with Akasha element.

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  Antaḥkaraṇa energy -:
• manas - lower mind
• buddhi - intellect
• Chitta - subconscious mind
• ahaṃkāra -ego

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  Karana sharira or the Causal body, the Anandamaya Kosha (Bliss).

karana Sharira is causal body which is cause for the gross and subtle bodies .i.e Karana sarira is the cause of Sthula sharira and Sukshma sharira. The Casual body consist of 35 elements or tatvas - 16 elements of Sthula Body - 19 elements of subtle body. The presence of casual body is indicated in Deep-Sleep or Turiya state.