Pancha Bhoota
| Part of a series on | ||
| Hindu philosophy | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Orthodox | ||
|
|
||
| Heterodox | ||
|
|
||
|
||
Pancha Bhoota or Pancha Maha-Bhoota (Sanskrit: पञ्चभूत, पञ्चमहाभूत ) , five great elements, also five physical elements, is a group of five basic elements, which, according to Hinduism, is the basis of all cosmic creation.[1] These elements are: Prithvi (Hindi: पृथ्वी, Earth), Apas/Jal (Hindi: जल, Water), Agni(Hindi:अग्नि, Fire), Vayu (Hindi: वायु, Air), Aakash(Hindi: आकाश, Aether). These elements have different characteristics and these also account for different faculties of human experience. In ayurveda and Indian philosophy, the human body is considered to be made of these five elements.[2] However, Cārvāka did not accept Akash as basic element as it is not tangible and according to him, there are only four basic elements.[3] Buddhism also accepts four basic elements and Akash is left out. These five elements of Indian cosmological system are similar but not identical to five element theory used in East Asia.[4]
Description
The pancha bhoota are associated with a sense which is perceived by sense organ in human being. Below table gives details of associated sense, sense organ, and other attributes of elements.[3]
| Bhoota (Element) | Associated Sense | Associated Sense Organ | Perception mode | Associated Finger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akash (Space) | Sound | Ear | Heard | Middle Finger |
| Vayu (Air) | Touch | Skin | Heard, Felt | Index Finger |
| Agni (Fire) | Sight/Color | Eye | Heard, Felt, Seen | Thumb |
| Jal/Apas (Water) | Taste | Tongue | Heard, Felt, Seen, Tasted | Little Finger |
| Prithvi (Earth) | Smell | Nose | Heard, Felt, seen, Tasted, Smelled | Ring Finger |
Ayurveda
According to ayurveda and Yoga, Pancha Bhoota are associated with overall health of human being. Any disorder in human body indicates imbalance of one or more of these elements. Yoga Tattva Mudra Vijnana relates these five elements to five fingers of human being. Different Mudra were developed to balance these [5] in human body which form the Hasta Mudra in yogic tradition and are used in Naturopathy.
The three dosha- three intrinsic tendencies, which, according to ayurveda are intrinsic in every human being, are representation of combination of these five elements in human body. The three Dosha have subtle positive essences which control the mind and body function.[6]
| Dosha | Bhoota Composition | Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| Vata | Vayu, Akash | Prana |
| Pitta | Agni, Jal/Apas | Tejas |
| Kapha | Prithvi, Jal/Apas | Ojas |
Yogic View
According to Yoga, the aim of sadhana is to have mastery over oneself. This mastery can be achieved by mastering all the basic elements. The process of gaining mastery over these elements and purifying them is called Bhuta Shuddhi. Pancha Bhoota Stalam is representation of pancha bhoota for yogic practice. People used to move from one temple to another and do sadhana on particular basic element.[7]
The seven Chakra in human body are associated with these five elements.[6]
| Chakra | Bhoota | Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| Muladhara Chakra | Prithvi | Stability, Support |
| Swadhishthan Chakra | Jal | Joy, Well-being |
| Manipura Chakra | Agni | Wisdom, Power |
| Anahata Chakra | Vayu | Compassion |
| Vishuddha Chakra | Akash | Trust, Creativity |
| Ajna Chakra | Akash | Knowledge, Intuition, Dignity |
| Sahasrara Chakra | Akash | Oneness |
Hasta Mudras
Hasta Mudra or hand posture is based on the panch bhootas. The basic assumption is that all the five elements can be represented by five different fingers in human body as shown in the table below.[8]
| Finger Name | Bhoota |
|---|---|
| Kanishthika, Little Finger | Jal/Apas |
| Anamika, Ring Finger | Prithvi |
| Madhyama, Middle Finger | Akash |
| Tarjani, Index Finger | Vayu |
| Angustha, Thumb | Agni |
Vastu
Vastu shastra emphasizes on the placement of five elements in specified direction and balance of these elements determines the condition of the associated structure.[6]
| Bhoota | Associated Direction | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Akash | West | Expansion, enhancement |
| Vayu | East, North-East | Movements, joy, happiness |
| Agni | South | Power, confidence, fame |
| Jal/Apas | North | Spirituality, ideas, thoughts, healing |
| Prithvi | Center, Diagonal | Stability, peace and harmony |
Taste
Combination of pancha bhoota is associated with six human tastes as below.[6]
| Taste | Associated Bhoota |
|---|---|
| Sweet | Prithvi, Jal(Earth and Water) |
| Sour | Prithvi, Agni(Earth and Fire) |
| Salty | Jal, Agni(Water and Fire) |
| Pungent | Vayu, Agni(Air and Fire) |
| Bitter | Vayu, Akash(Air and aether) |
| Astringent | Vayu, Prithvi(Air and Earth) |
See also
References
- ↑ Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam, ed. India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 79.
- ↑ Venkatesan, Satish. Ayurvedic remedies: An introduction. ISBN 9881224144. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- 1 2 Prasad Sinha, Harendra. Bharatiya Darshan Ki Rooprekha. Motilal Banarsidass Publisher. p. 86. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ↑ Carroll, Cain. Mudras of India. p. 18. ISBN 184819109X. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ↑ Five Elements "
- 1 2 3 4 "PANCHA BHOOTAS OR THE FIVE ELEMENTS". http://www.indianscriptures.com/. Retrieved 25 March 2015. External link in
|website=(help) - ↑ "pancha-bhutas-the-possibility-of-the-five-elements". http://www.ishafoundation.org. Retrieved 18 March 2015. External link in
|website=(help) - ↑ Sharma, Shiv. Brilliance of Hinduism. p. 93. ISBN 8128800825. Retrieved 3 April 2015.