The 5 Kalaas as revealed in the five categories of Jivas or living beings:
- Udbhij
- Swadej
- Andaj
- Jaraayuj
- Kosh
Discription:
The concept of the five Kalaas can be understood in another way in the context of various forms that the Atma or pure consciousness takes in this world. All living beings are called Jivas. They are of five primary categories of Jivas. The basic life forms have one or two Kalaas to start with, and then it progresses to the level of humans and Gods having five and more Kalaas. All the Jivas (living beings) in the world have been classified into five basic categories and their respective Kalaas are as follows:
(i) Udbhij: these are those life forms that are born from seeds, such as members of the plant kingdom. These have only one Kalaa called Anna Maye Kalaa. In other words, they depend on food and become food for others higher up in the evolutionary ladder.
(ii) Swadej: they are those which are born from dampness and sweat, such as fungi, algae, bacteria, germs, mosquito, lice, flies etc. They have two Kalaas, viz. Anna Maye and Pran Maye. That is, they are formed from food, they live for food and they die as food. Besides this, they also exhibit signs of life, e.g. the mosquito and lice have life like any other member of the animal kingdom.
(iii) Andaj: they are placed higher up in the evolutionary ladder, and are born from eggs, whether inside the mother’s womb or outside. Such birds as pigeon, sparrow, parrot, peacock etc. come under this category. They have three Kalaas which are Anna Maye, Pran Maye and Mano-maye. The last Kalaa refers to the fact that such creatures have a mind and heart which enables them to think, albeit in a primitive level.
(iv) Jaraayuj: these are the creatures that are born as embryo that develops inside the mother’s womb. Under this class come the animals such as horses, cows, dogs, elephants etc. They have four Kalaas, such as Anna Maye, Pran Maye, Mano-maye and Vigyan Maye.
(v) Anand Maye Kosh: The last Kalaa refers to their ability to have a higher level of thinking ability called intelligence. The human being comes under this last category with the added benefit of having five Kalaas. Besides the four Kalaas mentioned above in other creatures of this category, the man has the fifth one and it called the Anand Maye Kosh. It is only possessed by a man and not by other creatures in the sense that the man can realise the true meaning of the terms ‘bliss and happiness that is eternal and substantial’ by the virtue of his attaining higher level of intelligence and his ability to delve into the secrets of the concept of truth itself and then realising that kind of happiness and bliss that is not superficial and which is not limited to enjoyment of the sensual pleasures of the body and the material comforts of the world, but which has a holistic and all-inclusive dimension that incorporates the Spirit or the Soul.