PanchMahabhoot-Five gross elements

PanchMahabhoot-Five gross elements

Panch Mahabhoot (Devanagari: पन्च महाभूत​ ISO15915: panca mahābhūta​) are the primary gross elements. They are five in number and the cosmic world is made from these five elements.

They are also referred to as panch tattva (Devanagari: पन्चतत्त्व​ ISO15915: pancatattva).

Each of these elements is called bhoot and also mahabhoot.

Before the world was created there was nothing. Then, Lord Brahma (creator) produced everything from nothing.

Confusing isn't it? The modern day scientists construct new things from already existing things. They invent new things using existing objects for example electricity already exists in the water, the scientists found a way to produce it to be usable.

But, fathom the power of Lord Brahma who created the entire universe out of nothing at all.

Vedas describe the process of creation 

तस्माद्वा एतस्मादात्मन आकाशः संभूतः । आकाशाद्वायुः । वायोरग्निः ।अग्नेरापः ।अद्भ्यः पृथिवी ।
पृथिव्या ओषधयः । ओषधीभ्योऽन्नम्। अन्नात्। पुरुषः । स वा एष पुरुषोऽन्नरसमयः ॥

तैत्तिरीयोपनिषद्
tasmādvā etasmādātmana ākāśaḥ saṁbhūtaḥ । ākāśādvāyuḥ । vāyoragniḥ ।agnerāpaḥ ।adbhyaḥ pr̥thivī ।
pr̥thivyāṁoṣadhayaḥ । oṣadhībhyo'nnam। annāt। puruṣaḥ । sa vā eṣa puruṣo'nnarasamayaḥ ॥
taittirīyopaniṣad

During creation these panch tattva emerge from Panchtanmatra.

These mahabhoot are briefly described below.

Space

Akash (Devanagari: आकाश ISO15915: ākāśa) means empty space. The creator Lord Brahma first created akash. It is also referred to as sky or ether.

Empty space was created means before creation there was no empty space. This concept is rather difficult to imagine.

Every empty space is called akash. Even the empty spaces inside a body are also called akash. In Sanskrit pitcher is called ghat (Devanagari: घट​ ISO15915: ghaṭa). So the empty space inside ghat is be called ghatakash (Devanagari: घटाकाश​ ISO15915: ghaṭākāśa).

akash has one attribute. It is sound or (Devanagari: ​शब्द​ ISO15915: śabda).

Air

Air or vayu (Devanagari: वायु ISO15915: vāyu) is created from akash. Space cannot be touched. But from space God creates air. air can be felt when it touches the skin.

Air has two attributes. Its primary attribute is touch and secondary attribute is sound.

Fire

The third element is ​ fire or tej (Devanagari: तेज ISO15915: teja) is created from air.

Air cannot be seen, but from it emerges fire which can be seen.  

Tej has three attributes. Its primary attribute is form and secondary attributes are sound and touch.

Water

The fourth element is ​ water or jal (Devanagari: जल​​ ​ISO15915: jala). It is created from fire. 

Fire cannot be tasted, but from it emerges jal which can be tasted.

Jal has four attributes. Its primary attribute is taste and secondary attributes are formsound and touch (touch).

Earth

The fifth and last gross element is earth (land) or pṛithvi (Devanagari: पृथ्वी ISO15915: pr̥thvī) is created from water. 

Water has no smell, but from it emerges prithvi. and prithvi can be tasted.

Prithvi has five attributes. Its primary attribute is odor and secondary attributes are tasteformsound and touch (touch).

What is made from these elements?

Every gross and subtle non-living thing in the entire brahmand is made from these elements.

Body of every material jeev is also made of these elements.

​क्षिति जल पावक गगन समीरा । पंचतत्त्व यह बना शरीरा ।
​kṣiti jala pāvaka gagana samīrā । paṁcatattva yaha banā śarīrā ।

"Our body is also made of these five gross elements". So these elements have to be given to the body to sustain it.

  • Our body occupies space and also have a lot of empty spaces inside it.
  • Breathing is essential for body to live. In fact it has panch pran.
  • Body temperature has to be maintained.
  • Every cell of the body works well only when it is well hydrated. Blood, stomach juices all have water in them.
  • The last of the panch tattva earth produces grains. Our body is created from those grains and is nourished by them throughout the life time.

When the body dies all these elements return to the earth and the cycle continues.

Excess or deficiency of any of these elements in our body causes daihik taap.

​Note: Please don't confuse these gross elements with the elements in Chemistry mentioned in the periodic table. All those elements are part of the gross element Earth.

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