Living matter is made of five great elements
of vital importance. They are Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and
Space, and are known as Panchamahabhoota, and are units to
build everything from medicines to human beings.
In Sanskrit, Pancha means five. Akashiya,Apya,Parthiva,Taijasa
and Vayaviya are different classifications on the basis of
majority of content. The property or quality of anything changes
with different combinations and permutations of these five
elements.
Existence of matter becomes impossible for the lack of space
or Aakashamahabhoota with sound as its important sense attribute,
and non-resistance as its important property.
Inheriting shabda or sound as an attribute and chalatwa as its
important property, sparsha or touch is Vayumahabhoota. Next is
Agnimahabhoota, whose attribute is vision, and property is heat.
Earlier mahabhootas have attributes of sense like,
sound and touch are also inherited by Agni. Next is Aapamahabhoota with
rasa or taste as its important attribute, and liquidity as important
property. This inherits the earlier mahabhootas’ attributes.
Prithvimahabhoota is the final one with roughness as important property
and smell as its important sense attribute. Moreover, it inherits the
earlier mahabhootas’ sense attributes
Ayurveda summarizes the sense attributes and main
properties of the five great elements into five categories. They are:
Akasha Shabda Aapratighata ,Vayu Shabda, Sparsha Sparsha Chala ,Agni
Shabda, Sparsha, Roopa,Sparsha, Roopa Ushna ,Aapa (Jala) Shabda,
Sparsha, Roopa, Rasa Drava and Prithwi Shabda, Sparsha, Roopa, Rasa,
Gandha Khara.
The knowledge of concept of Panchabhoota would help
one understand the wotking of Ayurveda as science. The first element in
existence would be Aakasha. Its equivalence cannot be sky but space.
It is essential to know and understand all the elements.
Aakasha Shabda
Ayurveda believes that Aaksh is originless and endless,
that is, no beginning, no end, and exists everywhere and at
all times. In short it is omnipresent.
Moreover, the logic is that all things and beings need space
to be present, including the minutest particle called atom
or cell.
The belief is that the outer space reflects the inner space,
and thus the concept of omnipresence is proved.
As Aakasha is ever-existent, so is Shabda, the basic sense
attribute, and the energy form of Aakasha.
The first shabda as per Hinduism is AUM. Mantra is formed by grouping
many shabdas. Believing that it is divine form of treatment, Mantra
chikitsa in Ayurveda is given importance. Mani chikitsa is the second
followed by Aushadhi chikitsa.
Vayu Shabda
To make us realize the nothingness of the space
through movement, Vayu or air is very important. The main sense
attribute of it is touch, or feeling something, and along with this, it
carries the attribute of space, that is, sound. Anything that moves or
has Chalatwa is only because of vayu or air. Motor or sensory nerve
impulses, movement of food through gastro-intestinal tract, joint
movements in human beings are possible only through vata dosha, a major
constituent of vayu.
Agni Shabda
Vision is the main sense of attribute, and warmth is
its important property. The biological humor Pitta dosha's major
constituent is agni. Apart from providing energy for all activities, it
helps in viewing the creation of the world.
Jala Shabda
Jala helps in chemical, biological and biochemical bondings, and also enables bringing two things and keep them together.
Prithwi Shabda
It inherits all the attributes of other elements, and has smell
as its main attribute. It helps in building the whole universe with
its simple living and non-living blocks.
