Anandamaya Kosha is a locus of bliss corresponding to the fifth plane of consciousness described in the Bhrigu Valli section of Taittiriya Upanishad. Vedanta accepts five koshas or sheaths – the annamaya (physical body made out of food), pranamaya (of vital air), manomaya (of the mind), vijnanamaya (of knowledge) and anandamaya (of bliss).
These are the five sheaths of the human body, and are parts
of the three bodies – the physical, the astral and the causal – that a human
being is said to have. Except for the first sheath annamaya, or the one made out
of what we eat, i.e. the physical body, the remaining belong to the astral body
which departs on death and bears the impressions of the accumulated karma,
carrying it to the next birth. The anandamaya kosha belongs to the innermost
core, viz., causal body.
It is the bliss felt in sushupti (deep sleep), one of the
three psycho-physical states of consciousness, the other two being jagrata
(walking) and svapna (dream). It is happiness arising out of a sense of peace
and well being as opposed to sukha or temporary comfort arising out of physical
pleasures.
It is the most subtle and innermost sheath and is called the
karana sarira, after surpassing which, unity with the godhead may be obtained;
but it is not to be confused with Supreme Bliss or Brahman.
In the jagrata (walking) state, all the five sheath are
active; in the svapna (dream) state, the physical body is not, but the other
four are; in the state of sushupti (deep sleep), there is Ananda (bliss) as te
mind in its subtle form alone remains, due to which, after waking up, we say, “I
slept well, I did not know anything”.