ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Antahkarana (Inner Cause)

Antahkarana is a Sanskrit word which means "inner cause". It refers to the collection of four aspects of the mind, including the ego or sense of self, the intellect or ability to reason and analyze, the emotions or ability to feel and respond, and the unconscious or hidden part of the mind.

Imagine your mind is like a house with four different rooms. Each room has a different purpose and helps you do different things. In the first room, you have your sense of self or ego. This helps you understand who you are and how you fit into the world. In the second room, you have your intellect. This helps you think and reason about things, like how to solve a puzzle or make a decision.

In the third room, you have your emotions. This helps you feel happy, sad, angry, or scared. You can also use your emotions to understand how other people are feeling. Lastly, in the fourth room, you have your unconscious mind. This is like a secret room that you don't always know is there, but it helps you do things without thinking about them, like breathing or developing instincts.

All of these different rooms work together to help you understand and interact with the world around you. When they are all working together harmoniously, you can achieve inner peace and balance. This is what the concept of antahkarana aims to achieve by integrating these aspects of the mind.