In plain words
Man today examined all five kośas, annamaya, prāṇamaya, manomaya, vijñānamaya and ānandamaya, and grasped that one is far subtler than another. Prāṇa is light, lighter than the body. The Manas is lighter still than this prāṇa. Vijñāna is lighter still than the Manas. And then, what shines everywhere is Ānanda. Unfortunately, forgetting such Ānanda, the man of today is coming down from Ānanda to Prajñāna. With the Ahaṅkāra of ‘I am a scientist’ he forgot Ānanda and came down into Prajñāna. He does not know that driving. He put it into reverse gear. From Prajñāna he came to the manomaya kośa. From the manomaya kośa he came to the prāṇamaya kośa. From the prāṇamaya he got stuck in the annamaya. The humanness of today has come to the state of thinking that the body alone matters for everything. As high as the level Brahmā created him to rise to, so low has this man's resolve sunk. Why do we need our studies to know the body? Why should you need a mirror to see the bangle on your wrist? In the same way, sādhana is needed to see divinity, but no sādhanas are needed to know the body. This body is merely like an instrument. Unfortunately, today we are doing concentration on the instrument. We are taking this very instrument as our main goal. How long do all these pleasures of the body last? A small example. You are getting hungry. You went to the canteen. You paid six rupees and ate three chapātīs. It is good. You were very pleased. How long does it last, this joy? After three hours, you want it again. How much petrol does the body drink in working? How much oil does it drink? We are using it merely like some tough engine. Why so much attachment to a machine? We must rise to a level higher than this. From the very subtle level called Ānanda, they have come down to the heavy level of science. After that they have settled beside the still heavier Manas. Even Arjuna could not bear that Manas, it is said! He said to himself, ‘Cañcalaṃhi manaḥ kṛṣṇā pramādī balavaddṛḍhaṃ.’