Dear Friends, 

I'm writing a book chapter about the anthropology of tourism and embodiment. I have decided to include various 'yogic' perspectives. I am considering how to include classical ideas like pañcakośa concept with contemporary practitioner-based ideas of embodiment. 

I would appreciate any suggestions and specific textual references that possibly discuss the idea of 'embodiment'. Two that come to mind are vedamūrti and śāntamūrti. Another is samādhivigraha, however, I do not as yet have any textual sources for this term. 

I am curious to know about the first attested mention of the pañcakośa? I am reading through the pañcadaśī text, which I have found mention in secondary literature was maybe written in the 14th century. Although my assumption is that the pañcakośa concept appears earlier than that.  

Thanks in advance. 




All the best,

Patrick McCartney, PhD
Fellow
School of Culture, History & Language
College of the Asia-Pacific
The Australian National University
Canberra, Australia, 0200


Skype - psdmccartney
Phone + Whatsapp:  +61 414 954 748
Twitter - @psdmccartney