Shariraka Upanishad Explained: The Mystical Physiology of the Body-Soul Relationship

Short Answer
The Shariraka Upanishad, meaning “The Doctrine of the Body,” is a minor Upanishad attached to the Krishna Yajurveda that presents a systematic mystical physiology of the human body. It explains the body as a composite of the five primordial elements—earth, water, fire, air, and space—and maps every physical and psychological function to these elements. The text describes the sensory organs, organs of action, the fourfold inner organ (mind, intellect, ego, and memory), the three gunas, and the four states of consciousness. It culminates in the teaching that the individual soul (jiva) is the “lord of the body” (Kshetrajna), while the supreme Purusha is distinct from and superior to the twenty-four tattvas that constitute the material world.

In one line: The Shariraka Upanishad reveals the human body as a microcosm of the universe, where every element, organ, and quality corresponds to a cosmic principle, and the soul is the lord of this divine temple.

Key points

• The Shariraka Upanishad is a Samanya (general) Upanishad attached to the Krishna Yajurveda, listed as number 62 in the Muktika canon .
• Its title means “Doctrine of the Body” or “Relating to the Constitution of the Body and Its Parts” .
• The text presents a systematic mystical physiology, mapping the body’s composition to the five primordial elements—earth, water, fire, air, and space .
• It describes the five sensory organs, five organs of action, and the fourfold inner organ (manas, buddhi, ahamkara, chitta) .
• The text adopts the Samkhya theory of three gunas—sattva, rajas, and tamas—and applies them to character and knowledge .
• It presents the four states of consciousness—waking, dreaming, deep sleep, and turiya—linking them to the activity of different organs .
• The text concludes that the individual soul is the “lord of the body” (Kshetrajna), and that the supreme Purusha is distinct from and superior to the twenty-four tattvas of Prakriti .

---

Part 1: What Is the Shariraka Upanishad? Name, Origins, and Classification

The Name and Its Meaning

The title “Shariraka” comes from the Sanskrit word śarīra, meaning “body.” Śārīraka means “relating to the constitution of the body and its parts” and “doctrine about the body and soul” . The term has also been interpreted as a “contemptuous (kutsita) form of sarira,” meaning “this vile body,” reflecting the philosophical perspective that the physical body is a temporary vessel for the eternal soul . The text is also called Sharirakopanishad in some traditions .

Classification and Vedic Affiliation

The Shariraka Upanishad is classified as a Samanya (general) Upanishad, meaning it is non-sectarian and acceptable to all schools of Vedanta . It is attached to the Krishna Yajurveda (the Black Yajurveda) and is listed as number 62 in the Muktika canon of 108 Upanishads . It is one of several Upanishads dedicated to mystical physiology, alongside the Garbha Upanishad .

Date and Historical Context

The date and author of the Shariraka Upanishad are not precisely known. According to Paul Deussen, the text has been revised in later eras, and its content is inconsistent across known manuscripts . The Upanishad, along with the Garbha Upanishad, focuses on the relationship between the human body and the human soul, exploring where and how they relate to each other, and what happens to each at birth and after death . These questions and various theories are mentioned in the earliest Upanishads of Hinduism; the theories evolve, but the Shariraka and other mystical physiology Upanishads are dedicated to this discussion .

Structure of the Text

The text consists of one chapter, which begins with a long prose prologue presenting a theory of human physiology, followed by eight verses . The first four verses and verses six and seven are metric, while verse five is longer and presents the theory of the three gunas and the four states of consciousness . The last verse asserts that Purusha is supreme .

---

Part 2: The Body as a Composite of Five Elements

The Upanishad opens with a declaration that the human body is a compound of the five primordial elements (mahābhūtas): earth (prithvi), water (apas), fire (agni), air (vayu), and space (akasha) . The text asserts:

“The body is a compound of earth and other primordial elements. (In the body), that which is hard is (of the essence of) earth; that which is liquid is (of the essence of) water; that which is hot is (of the essence of) fire; that which moves about is (of the essence of) vāyu; that which is perforated is (of the essence of) ākāś” .

This teaching establishes the body as a microcosm of the universe. Just as the universe is composed of these five elements, so too is the human body. The following table summarizes the mapping of bodily functions to elements:

Element	Sanskrit	Bodily Manifestations
Earth	Prithvi	Bone, skin, nadis (vessels), nerves, hair, flesh
Water	Apas	Urine, phlegm, blood, semen, sweat
Fire	Agni	Hunger, thirst, sloth, delusion, desire for copulation
Air	Vayu	Walking, scratching, opening and closing the eyes
Space	Akasha	Desire, anger, avarice, delusion, fear

The text also lists the properties of each element, showing a hierarchy of subtlety: earth has five properties (sound, touch, form, taste, smell); water has four; fire has three; air has two; and space has only one (sound) . This hierarchy reflects the progression from the gross (earth) to the subtle (space).

---

Part 3: The Sensory Organs (Jnānendriyas) and Organs of Action (Karmendriyas)

The Five Sensory Organs

The Upanishad refers to the sensory organs as jnānendriyas (organs of knowledge) and links each to its corresponding element and sense object . The following table summarizes this teaching:

Sense Organ	Sanskrit	Essence of	Sense Object
Ear	Śrotra	Space (Ākāśa)	Sound
Skin	Tvak	Air (Vāyu)	Touch
Eye	Cakṣus	Fire (Agni)	Form
Tongue	Rasanā	Water (Apas)	Taste
Nose	Ghrāṇa	Earth (Prithvī)	Odor

This teaching explains why certain sense organs perceive certain objects—the ear perceives sound because both ear and sound are of the essence of space; the skin perceives touch because both are of the essence of air; and so on .

The Five Organs of Action

The text refers to the functional organs as karmendriyas (organs of action) . These include:

Organ	Sanskrit	Function
Mouth	Vāk	Speech
Hands	Pāṇi	Lifting, grasping
Legs	Pāda	Walking
Organs of excretion	Pāyu	Removal of waste
Organs of generation	Upastha	Enjoyment, procreation

---

Part 4: The Inner Organ (Antahkarana)

The Upanishad describes the internal organ (antaḥkaraṇa) as being of four kinds :

Internal Organ	Sanskrit	Function	Seat in the Body
Mind	Manas	Saṅkalpa-vikalpa (will-thought and doubt)	End of the throat
Intellect	Buddhi	Determination, understanding	Face
Ego	Ahaṅkāra	Egoism, sense of “I”	Heart
Memory	Citta	Memory, recollection	Navel

This fourfold division of the inner organ is a significant teaching. The mind is responsible for doubt and volition; the intellect for decision-making; the ego for the sense of self; and the memory faculty for recollection. Each has a specific seat in the body, reflecting the ancient Indian understanding of psychosomatic unity.

---

Part 5: The Three Gunas (Qualities)

The Upanishad adopts the Samkhya theory of three gunas (innate qualities) present in all beings : sattva (goodness, harmony, purity), rajas (passion, activity, restlessness), and tamas (darkness, inertia, ignorance) .

Sattvic Qualities

“Non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, non-covetousness, refraining from anger, serving the guru, purity, contentment, right conduct, abstinence from self-praise, freedom from pompousness, firm conviction in the existence of God, and not causing injury to others—all these are to be known as sāttvika-guṇas” .

Rajasic Qualities

“I am the actor, I am the enjoyer, I am the speaker, and I am the egoistic—such are said by knowers of Brahman to be rājasa-guṇas” .

Tamasic Qualities

“Sleep, sloth, delusion, desire, copulation, and theft are said by expounders of the Vedas to be tāmasa-guṇas” .

The Consequences of Each Guna

The text states that those with a preponderance of sattva ascend to higher spheres; those with rajas remain in the middle (the sphere of earth); and those with tamas descend to lower realms . Similarly, perfect knowledge is of sattva; knowledge of dharma is of rajas; and mental darkness is of tamas .

---

Part 6: The Four States of Consciousness

The Upanishad presents the four states of consciousness (avasthas) :

State	Sanskrit	Active Organs	Description
Waking	Jāgrata	14 organs (5 senses, 5 actions, 4 internal)	Consciousness turned outward
Dreaming	Svapna	4 internal organs only	Consciousness turned inward
Dreamless Sleep	Suṣupti	Citta (mind) only	Consciousness without objects
Fourth State	Turiya	Jīva alone	Pure consciousness beyond all three

This teaching is consistent with the Mandukya Upanishad’s analysis of the four states of consciousness. The Shariraka Upanishad links each state to the activity of specific organs, showing how the withdrawal of the senses and mind leads to deeper states of awareness.

---

Part 7: The Twenty-Four Tattvas and the Supreme Purusha

The Constituents of the Subtle Body

The Upanishad states that the subtle body (sūkṣma or liṅga) is constituted by seventeen elements:

• Five organs of sense
• Five organs of action
• Five vital airs (prāṇas)
• Manas (mind)
• Buddhi (intellect)

The Eight Prakritis and Fifteen Modifications

The text describes eight prakritis (primordial matter): manas, buddhi, ahamkara, akasha, vayu, fire, water, and earth . These eight undergo fifteen modifications:

• Five organs of sense (ear, skin, eye, tongue, nose)
• Five organs of action (excretion, secretion, hands, legs, speech)
• Five objects of sense (sound, form, touch, taste, odor)

The Twenty-Four Tattvas

The total number of tattvas (principles) is twenty-three: the eight prakritis and fifteen modifications . The twenty-fourth is avyakta (the undifferentiated matter) or pradhāna . The text states: “The twenty-fourth is the Avyakta, the chief (Tattva)” .

The Supreme Purusha

“Puruṣa is other than (or superior to) this” .

The text concludes with the declaration that the supreme Purusha is distinct from and above the twenty-four tattvas of Prakriti. This is the final teaching: the individual soul functions as Kshetrajna (“the lord of the body”), while the Purusha (the indestructible universal principle, the unchanging cosmic soul) is different and greater than the twenty-four tattvas .

---

Part 8: The Philosophical Significance

The Body as a Microcosm

The Shariraka Upanishad presents the human body as a microcosm of the universe. Every element of the physical world is reflected in the body. This teaching establishes the body as a sacred space—a temple in which the divine dwells.

The Unity of Physiology and Spirituality

The text integrates physiology, psychology, and spirituality. The five elements, the sensory organs, the organs of action, the inner organ, the three gunas, and the four states of consciousness are all interconnected. This holistic vision is characteristic of the Upanishadic tradition.

The Distinction Between Jiva and Purusha

The text’s conclusion that Purusha is distinct from and superior to the twenty-four tattvas of Prakriti establishes the core Advaita teaching: the individual soul is not the body, not the mind, not the intellect—it is pure consciousness.

---

Further Exploration with Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s Books

For readers inspired by the profound teachings of the Shariraka Upanishad on the body-soul relationship and the nature of the Self, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s books offer an excellent contemporary gateway. A physician and spiritual thinker from Uttarakhand, Dr. Solanki bridges classical Advaita Vedanta with modern clarity and psychological insight.

Awakening Through Vedanta: Timeless Wisdom of Adi Shankaracharya serves as an accessible guide to the non-dual philosophy that the Shariraka Upanishad’s teachings on the soul as Kshetrajna point toward—the identity of the individual Self with Brahman. Bhagavad Gita: Insights from Adi Shankaracharya presents the Gita’s teachings through the lens of Shankara’s Advaita tradition, exploring the nature of the body, the Self, and the path to liberation.

---

Summary

The Shariraka Upanishad is a profound text that presents a systematic mystical physiology of the human body. Its title, meaning “Doctrine of the Body,” reflects its purpose: to reveal the body as a microcosm of the universe, a sacred temple in which the divine dwells. The text explains the body as a composite of the five primordial elements and maps every physical and psychological function to these elements. It describes the five sensory organs, five organs of action, and the fourfold inner organ. It adopts the Samkhya theory of the three gunas—sattva, rajas, and tamas—and applies them to character, knowledge, and destiny. It presents the four states of consciousness—waking, dreaming, deep sleep, and turiya—linking each to the activity of specific organs. The text concludes that the individual soul is the “lord of the body” (Kshetrajna), while the supreme Purusha is distinct from and superior to the twenty-four tattvas of Prakriti. The Shariraka Upanishad invites you to see the body not as a mere physical vessel but as a divine temple, a microcosm of the universe, and to recognize that the soul is the lord of this temple. When you know this, you are free.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti