Talk:The Process of Dying - Puryaṣhṭaka Moves to the Heart

By Vishal Agarwal

When this ātmā seems to have become devoid of strength and appears to have come to a state of unconsciousness, then these organs turn back and come to him (the ātmā). He, completely taking these particles of resplendent energies of sense-organs, enters into the heart. When the person in the eye altogether turns back, then he becomes unconscious of forms. Brihadāraṇyaka Upanishad 4.4.1

(The eye) gets united, he does not see – this (they) say. (The nose) gets united, he does not smell – thus (they) say. (The tongue) gets united, he does not taste – thus (they) say. (The speech) gets united), he does not speak – thus (they) say. (The ear) gets united, he does not hear – thus (they) say. (The mind) gets united, he does not think – thus (they) say. (The touch) gets united, he does not feel – thus (they) say. (The intellect) gets united, he does not feel – thus (they) say. The front end [sinoatrial node] of the heart becomes luminous….. Brihadāraṇyaka Upanishad 4.4.2

The Jīvātmā that is already surrounded by the subtle senses, the mind, and the vital forces (Prāṇas) along with the Kārmic residues, now coalesces with the five subtle elements. This entire aggregate is called the Puryaṣhṭaka because these eight components surround the Jīvātmā:

1. The four parts of the Manomayakośa (Manas, Chitta, Buddhi, Ahamkāra),
2. the group of five sense organs,
3. the group of five motor organs,
4. the group of five prāṇas,
5. the five subtle elements,
6. kāma or desires,
7. karm,
8. Jnāna/avidyā (the spiritual knowledge, wisdom, and understanding acquired in previous lifetimes, or the lack of this knowledge).

This set of 8 entities is called ‘Puryaṣhṭaka’ or Aṣhtapura in Paingala Upanishad 2.6. All of them together, encasing the Jīvātmā, then converge in the heart, specifically in the sinoatrial node.