Mithya means dependent reality. It is that which changes, appears and disappears, or is made of parts. The world is mithya: experienced, functional, but not absolute. Only Brahman is satya — changeless, ever-present, and partless.

Panchikarana means the fivefold combination — the process by which subtle elements mix to form the gross world. It shows that all bodies and objects are temporary composites, while the Self stands apart as pure awareness.

The pancha mahabhuta — space, air, fire, water, and earth — are the building blocks of the universe. They reveal that every body is made of the same elements: we are “walking earth,” contents of the cosmos, while the Self stands beyond them.

Svarupa means intrinsic nature. In Vedanta, it is pure consciousness, limitless being, fullness. While colloquially it can mean temperament or inclination, true svarupa belongs only to the Self, not to conditioning.

The panchakosha teaching of the Taittiriya Upanishad describes five sheaths — body, life-force, mind, intellect, and bliss — in which the Self is mistakenly identified. They are pedagogical tools for discrimination, not literal coverings.

Neti-neti means “not this, not this.” By negating both the gross and subtle universes, Vedānta reveals the one thing that cannot be negated: the witnessing Self, evident as “I am.”