Ethasman jayathe prano manaha

Sarvendriyani cha
Pritvi  viswasya darini

            Mundakopanishad
            2.1.3

The vital force (prana), mind and sense perceptions (indriya) emerge from the Great Cosmos along with Akash 
the sky or ether, Vayu - the air, Agni - the fire, apaha - the water and pritvi - the earth, which are the five 
primordial elements.

The Universe manifests through these five elements or great cosmic energies. The universe exists in perfect 
balance. It starts from nothing and ends in nothing, but in between these two extremes there is something the 
enlightened name as illusion. The five elements are the powers responsible for creation, protection, destruction, 
disappearance and appearance. The material existence of the cosmos is the earth. It is the basic platform and 
the Mother Goddess performs her cosmic dance over it.

Lord Krishna says in Bagawad Gita,

“My existence is eight fold like earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect and ego.”

Bhumir - apo - analo  vayu  kam  mano

Bhudhireva  cha
Ahankara  Idiyam  me binna
Prakruthiashtadha  (Gita - 7.4)

The Concept of Five elements in Science:

There is vast difference in the classification of core elements in science when compared with Indian Philosophy. 
According to Science a core element is the one which is indivisible. Water is not an element, since it is a 
compound of hydrogen and oxygen, which are the core elements. The physical world is the mixed compounds of 
such elements. Scientifically speaking, air, earth, and water are compounds but fire is not matter but energy. 
Ether is the element expanded universally.

According to Indian Philosophy:

Indian Philosophy or darsna confirms that the world is meaningful only through the five sense organs. Ears help 
us to listen: Sound spreads in the sky: Body feels the touch through air: Eyes see and for the vision fire is the 
cause: Tongue feels the taste with the help of water: Nose feels the smell because of earth: Thus the realization 
of the physical world is only through the five elements. All these five elements exist in two forms, physical and 
subtle. There is a mathematical permutation for the subtle elements to take the physical form. Each subtle 
element divides into two. The first part remains as a physical part of its own and the second part further divides 
into four parts of divisions of an   and is shared with four other elements. Sweets made out of sugar are of the 
same taste irrespective of their shape. Likewise the manifestation of all Universal being resembles the mighty 
Brahman. Earth is the cause for creation. Each element has two qualities which exist as single and compound. 
Actually in the physical world single existence is temporary and all compound states are permanent. One element 
links itself with the other for continuous existence. This process is depicted below:

Earth is the power of creation. Water is responsible for protection, fire destruction, air disappearance and sky is 
the cause for appearance. The Human body is also a combination of these five elements. According to the sage 
Thiru Mular, the human body is the temple in which God resides. The blood circulation, cell development and 
various emotions are all functions of these five elements. The conversion process of these five elements from 
material to subtle form is known as “Pancheekaran”

Brahman is the one from which everything emerges.  The soul is nothing other than Brahman itself with three 
kinds of sheath bodies which are:  physical, subtle and intellectual. First the invisible cosmic energy comes out 
and then it changes to a visible state to promote ego. The basic five sense actions are called ‘pancha tanmatra’ 
emerge from ego. (Pancha tanmatra : smell, taste, vision, touch and hearing). These senses understand the 
process of the five elements and manifest in all universal illusive action which is called ‘vrat’ and it is the physical 
body of the soul.

The five primordial elements, five sense actions, five breaths, ten kinds of enjoyments, mind and intellect are the 
twenty seven concepts which evolve from the subtle body of the soul which is known as ‘linga sareera’ or 
‘hranyagarba’.
These two physical and subtle bodies are created by the intellect body of the soul, which is called “Avyakrita”.

Earth                -                Earth              -       Bones

Earth                -                Water             -       Flesh
Earth                -                Fire                 -      Skin
Earth                -                Air                   -       Nerves
Earth                -                Sky                 -       Hair

Water                -                Earth              -      Saliva

Water                -                Water             -     Urine
Water                -                Fire                -      Sweat
Water                -                Air                  -      Blood
Water                -                Sky                -       Sperm / Ovum

Fire                 -                Earth                -        Hunger

Fire                 -                Water               -       Thirst
Fire                -                Fire                    -       Sleep
Fire                -                Air                      -       Lethargy
Fire                -                Sky                    -        Intercourse

Air                -                Earth                   -         Lying

Air                -                Water                  -         Walking
Air                -                Fire                     -          Bending
Air                -                Air                       -          Running
Air                -                Sky                      -          Jumping

Sky                -                Earth                -        Desire

Sky                -                Water               -        Aversion
Sky                -                Fire                  -         Fear
Sky                -                Air                    -         Shyness
Sky                -                Sky                   -         Delusion

“Pancha Bhuta” in Sri Lalitha Sahasranama :

The 949th epithet of Sri Lalitha Sahsranama has a reference about Panchabutas.

" Om Pancha Bhutesyei Namha"  (949)

“Salutation to Her who rules over the five primordial elements”

These are referred to as Brahmas or highest deities namely: Brahma - earth, Vishnu - water, Rudra - fire, Iswara 
- Air and Sadasiva - ether.

The epithet 249 of Sri Lalithasaharanama says that the mother Goddess sits on a seat formed from the five dead 
deities referred above.

“Om pancha pretha sana seenayei namaha” (249)

The word ‘dead’ is referring here to the inactive nature of the five elements. The epithet 947 of the same 
scripture says that Devi is seated on a seat supported by the five dead.

“Om pancha - preta manchadi sayinyei namaha” (947)

In the daily puja (prayer or worship) we offer a fivefold offering to the Mother Goddess. The epithet 950 explains 
this: “Om Pancha - sankyopa charinyei Namha” means, “Salutations to her who is worshipped with the five 
folds which are sandal paste, flowers, fragrance, light (ghee lamp) and food (nivedya).

The Ghee lamp is very much useful and gives a good result in meditation. Ghee is prepared from the butter 
made from cows’ milk. It exists in five stages and resembles the panchabuta or five primordial elements. Primarily 
Ghee is in the form of a solid state, and melts to liquid state (water) when heated, burns with fire, spreads in the 
air as fumes and the subtleness reaches the cosmic unity.

It is because of this uniqueness that ghee is offered in Yagnas (the fire ritual of Hindus). In this the sacred herbs 
are offered to God in fire which resembles the earth, ghee is poured to mean that the water and fire is maintained 
and the fumes spread in the air along with chanting of mantras which reach the cosmic unity. This is the secret of 
the fire ritual.
Sri Vidya meditation based on Sri Vidya  philosophy controls all these five cosmic energies in a balanced state.  
Mooladhara is the earth centre, Swathishtana - water centre, Manipuragha - fire centre, Anahatha - air centre, 
Visudhi - sky centre, Agna - mind centre, Gurupeetam - conscious mind centre and Sri Vidyapeetam - super 
conscious mind centre. Pancha butas help us for realization. The subtle nature of ether is sound and fire.  When 
the sound  combines with air it becomes speech it results in a language. When fire emits light it helps us to write 
and read. Tongue the form of water gives speech, it leads to realization in the seat of the inner heart, earth. 
Omkar is the seed for all languages. It is known as sabtha - Brahman. Through the meditation of Omkar we can 
realize the divine nature of the five cosmic forces or energies or elements externally and internally.

Written By Dr.Sri Jagannatha Swami. December,2006.