Pranamaya kosha

The Pranamaya Kosha (sheath made of Prana, the overall vital life-force. This pranamaya kosha, a collection of the five Pranas (vital energies that comprise the Prana) namely Prana, Apana, Udana, Vyana and Samana provides movement and activity to the gross physical body and the sense organs. Here Prana refers to that level of life-force which makes the body capable of functioning. In the absense of Prana the gross physical body becomes life-less. All the subtle senses exist in the pranamaya kosha, breathing is also one of its activities.

Shaktipat is not an activity of the Pranamaya Kosha

No Shaktipat is not an activity of the Pranamaya Kosha. This sheath is the regulator of the physical body and the gross senses and works during the evolutionary cycle (when Shakti is extroverted and engaged in creation) of Shakti. The state at which the Prana (vital energy) is working in Shaktipat is not even included in the five pranas. Its activities don’t even fall in the realm of the five pranas. It is not the work of the five pranas to bring the samskaras (accumulated impressions to the fore) and transform them into kriyas (automatic movements after the awakening of Shakti). The level of prana that is activated by Shaktipat works on the basis of the chitta but it is independent of the chitta. Even though the Prana is working on the basis of the samskaras, it is not influenced by them; whereas the five pranas put the body in motion under the control of the mind. In fact it is very close to pure consciousness. Furthermore the miracles performed by yogis are activities of the pranamaya kosha.

-Swami Vishnu Tirtha

Only that spiritual practice is supreme in which mind body and senses doesn’t weaken. Restlessness uneasiness and anguish do not arise in chitta. And the aspirant continues to progress effortessly and finally attains Samandhi a meditative state where the individual consciousness merges with the infinite consciousness. One thing is certain, all this is possible only after Shakti is awakened and becomes introverted. With the support of Shaktipat all this becomes straightforward. Only then is effortless sadhan, self-proven sadhan, or natural sadhan.’

-Swami Vishnu Tirtha