March 12, 2026
Resurrecting the Ancient Knowledge of the Various Planes and Parts of the Being
reference: reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Psychic Being — Soul: Its Nature, MIssion and Evolution, Section 1 Meaning and Nature of the Psychic Being, pp. 4-5
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/03/10/resurrecting-the-ancient-knowledge-of-the-various-planes-and-parts-of-the-being/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
#Sri Aurobindo #integral yoga #yoga #spirituality #psychic being #soul #Upanishads #Kena Upanishad #Taittiriya Upanishad
1
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:05,000
In the Kina Upanishad, the
powers of the physical plane,
2
00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:09,440
the vital plane, and the mental
plane all believe they are
3
00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:13,200
predominant and can wield their
power to achieve whatever they
4
00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:16,360
want.
These powers are embodied in the
5
00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:20,880
form of Agni on the physical
plane, Yu on the vital plane,
6
00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:26,320
and Indra on the mental plane.
The Upanishad confronts these
7
00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:29,480
powers with a power they cannot
recognize.
8
00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,480
They try to use their native
force against this power, but
9
00:00:33,480 --> 00:00:37,080
they all fail.
They were able to approach the
10
00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:40,880
Eternal with the mental power
coming closest to that
11
00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,520
realization.
It is interesting to note that
12
00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:49,080
the Rishi of the Upanishad here
recognizes different planes and
13
00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:52,440
powers of the being and
distinguishes them by their
14
00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:55,720
native force of action.
Reference.
15
00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,960
Srioro, Bindo.
The Upanishads.
16
00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:04,200
Kino Upanishad In the titanium
Upanishad there is a very clear
17
00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,320
outline of the planes that make
up the human existence.
18
00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:12,360
The seeker systematically
enhances his understanding as he
19
00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,520
first realizes the physical
plane as the divine.
20
00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:21,800
This is an incomplete knowledge,
he continues, and recognizes the
21
00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:25,960
vital plane.
This too is not the final
22
00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:29,280
answer.
He then recognizes the mental
23
00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,040
plane and thereafter the
knowledge plane.
24
00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:37,840
Eventually he comes to recognize
the plane of Bliss Ananda, which
25
00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:41,760
is an aspect of the triune
nature of the Supreme Satchit
26
00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,400
Ananda Reference.
Sri Robinda.
27
00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,440
The Upanishads, Titaria,
Upanishad.
28
00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:53,640
Brugu Valley.
The Brahmananda Valley makes
29
00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:55,560
this distinction even more
clear.
30
00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:01,040
Quote Now there is a second and
inner self which is other than
31
00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:04,840
this, that is of the substance
of food, and it is made of the
32
00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:09,880
vital stuff called prana.
And the self of prana filleth
33
00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:14,200
the self of food.
Now the self of prana is made in
34
00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,000
the image of a man.
End Quote.
35
00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:22,040
It continues with a further
elucidation of the 2nd and inner
36
00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:26,080
self-made of mind.
The recitation continues with
37
00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:29,800
the acknowledgement that there
is yet a further inner self-made
38
00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:33,440
of knowledge.
And yet this is not complete
39
00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:38,200
either as there is the Self of
Ananda, the bliss of existence
40
00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:43,760
reference Sri Aurobindo, the
Upanishads, Titiria, Upanishad,
41
00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:49,280
Brahmananda Valley, other
Upanishads describe in depth of
42
00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,840
various elements that make up
the human being.
43
00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,720
Much of this knowledge has been
obscured under the pressure of
44
00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,760
the rise of the materialism of
the West which has hypnotized
45
00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:04,280
the world in recent times.
This is LED further to the type
46
00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,160
of confusion that Sri Robindo
describes about the existence,
47
00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:13,560
role and significance of the
soul in evolution and its
48
00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:18,000
primacy compared to the external
being of mind, life and body.
49
00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:24,160
Sri Robindo writes quote.
People do not understand what I
50
00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,240
mean by the psychic being
because the word psychic has
51
00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,200
been used in English to mean
anything of the inner mental,
52
00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:36,080
inner vital or inner physical,
or anything abnormal or a cult,
53
00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,920
or even the more subtle
movements of the outer being all
54
00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,600
in a jumble.
Also a cult phenomena are often
55
00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:46,760
called psychic.
The distinction between these
56
00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:50,560
different parts of the being is
unknown even in India.
57
00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,240
The old knowledge of the
Upanishads in which they are
58
00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:58,200
distinguished has been lost.
The Jeev Atman, the psychic
59
00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:03,640
being Perusha, Antar Atman, the
Manomaya Perusha, the Pranamaya
60
00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:06,800
Perusha are all confused
together.
61
00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,400
End Quote.
Reference.
62
00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:15,160
Srioro Bindu and the Mother, the
psychic being soul, its nature,
63
00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,000
mission and evolution.
Section 1.
64
00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,760
Meaning and Nature of the
Psychic Being.
65
00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,040
Pages 4:00 to 5:00.
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:05,000
In the Kina Upanishad, the
powers of the physical plane,
2
00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:09,440
the vital plane, and the mental
plane all believe they are
3
00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:13,200
predominant and can wield their
power to achieve whatever they
4
00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:16,360
want.
These powers are embodied in the
5
00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:20,880
form of Agni on the physical
plane, Yu on the vital plane,
6
00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:26,320
and Indra on the mental plane.
The Upanishad confronts these
7
00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:29,480
powers with a power they cannot
recognize.
8
00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,480
They try to use their native
force against this power, but
9
00:00:33,480 --> 00:00:37,080
they all fail.
They were able to approach the
10
00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:40,880
Eternal with the mental power
coming closest to that
11
00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,520
realization.
It is interesting to note that
12
00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:49,080
the Rishi of the Upanishad here
recognizes different planes and
13
00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:52,440
powers of the being and
distinguishes them by their
14
00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:55,720
native force of action.
Reference.
15
00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,960
Srioro, Bindo.
The Upanishads.
16
00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:04,200
Kino Upanishad In the titanium
Upanishad there is a very clear
17
00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,320
outline of the planes that make
up the human existence.
18
00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:12,360
The seeker systematically
enhances his understanding as he
19
00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,520
first realizes the physical
plane as the divine.
20
00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:21,800
This is an incomplete knowledge,
he continues, and recognizes the
21
00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:25,960
vital plane.
This too is not the final
22
00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:29,280
answer.
He then recognizes the mental
23
00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,040
plane and thereafter the
knowledge plane.
24
00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:37,840
Eventually he comes to recognize
the plane of Bliss Ananda, which
25
00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:41,760
is an aspect of the triune
nature of the Supreme Satchit
26
00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,400
Ananda Reference.
Sri Robinda.
27
00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,440
The Upanishads, Titaria,
Upanishad.
28
00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:53,640
Brugu Valley.
The Brahmananda Valley makes
29
00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:55,560
this distinction even more
clear.
30
00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:01,040
Quote Now there is a second and
inner self which is other than
31
00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:04,840
this, that is of the substance
of food, and it is made of the
32
00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:09,880
vital stuff called prana.
And the self of prana filleth
33
00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:14,200
the self of food.
Now the self of prana is made in
34
00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,000
the image of a man.
End Quote.
35
00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:22,040
It continues with a further
elucidation of the 2nd and inner
36
00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:26,080
self-made of mind.
The recitation continues with
37
00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:29,800
the acknowledgement that there
is yet a further inner self-made
38
00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:33,440
of knowledge.
And yet this is not complete
39
00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:38,200
either as there is the Self of
Ananda, the bliss of existence
40
00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:43,760
reference Sri Aurobindo, the
Upanishads, Titiria, Upanishad,
41
00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:49,280
Brahmananda Valley, other
Upanishads describe in depth of
42
00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,840
various elements that make up
the human being.
43
00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,720
Much of this knowledge has been
obscured under the pressure of
44
00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,760
the rise of the materialism of
the West which has hypnotized
45
00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:04,280
the world in recent times.
This is LED further to the type
46
00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,160
of confusion that Sri Robindo
describes about the existence,
47
00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:13,560
role and significance of the
soul in evolution and its
48
00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:18,000
primacy compared to the external
being of mind, life and body.
49
00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:24,160
Sri Robindo writes quote.
People do not understand what I
50
00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,240
mean by the psychic being
because the word psychic has
51
00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,200
been used in English to mean
anything of the inner mental,
52
00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:36,080
inner vital or inner physical,
or anything abnormal or a cult,
53
00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,920
or even the more subtle
movements of the outer being all
54
00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,600
in a jumble.
Also a cult phenomena are often
55
00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:46,760
called psychic.
The distinction between these
56
00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:50,560
different parts of the being is
unknown even in India.
57
00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,240
The old knowledge of the
Upanishads in which they are
58
00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:58,200
distinguished has been lost.
The Jeev Atman, the psychic
59
00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:03,640
being Perusha, Antar Atman, the
Manomaya Perusha, the Pranamaya
60
00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:06,800
Perusha are all confused
together.
61
00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,400
End Quote.
Reference.
62
00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:15,160
Srioro Bindu and the Mother, the
psychic being soul, its nature,
63
00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,000
mission and evolution.
Section 1.
64
00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,760
Meaning and Nature of the
Psychic Being.
65
00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,040
Pages 4:00 to 5:00.
