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== पञ्चमहाभूतानि ॥ Panchamahabhutas ==
 
== पञ्चमहाभूतानि ॥ Panchamahabhutas ==
The word 'bhuta' is formed by the sum of 'kta' affixes in 'bhu sattayam'. And means 'one who has the power of existence' or 'one who exists'.  Prthvi (earth), Ap (water), Teja (fire), Vayu (air) and Akasha (sky) are called Panchamahabhutas (the five great elements). There is no reason for their origin, but the existence of everything else is because of these great elements. They are called 'mahabhutas' due to their importance or grossness.<blockquote>महन्तानि भूतानि महाभूतानि । mahantāni bhūtāni mahābhūtāni ।</blockquote>Infact, the body of all living beings and non-living substances of this earth are made from them.<blockquote>इह हि द्रव्यं पञ्चमहाभूतात्मकम् ।१७.२<ref>Ashtanga Sangraha, Sutra Sthana, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%99%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A7-%E0%A5%A8%E0%A5%A6 Adhyayas 11-20]</ref> iha hi dravyaṁ pañcamahābhūtātmakam ।17.2</blockquote>The five great elements from which creation has originated are as follows:
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The word 'bhuta' is formed by the sum of 'kta' affixes in 'bhu sattayam'. And means 'one who has the power of existence' or 'one who exists'.  [[Prthvi (पृथ्वी)|Prthvi]] (earth), [[Jala (जलम्)|Ap]] (water), [[Agni (अग्निः)|Teja]] (fire), Vayu (air) and Akasha (sky) are called Panchamahabhutas (the five great elements). There is no reason for their origin, but the existence of everything else is because of these great elements. They are called 'mahabhutas' due to their importance or grossness.<blockquote>महन्तानि भूतानि महाभूतानि । mahantāni bhūtāni mahābhūtāni ।</blockquote>Infact, the body of all living beings and non-living substances of this earth are made from them.<blockquote>इह हि द्रव्यं पञ्चमहाभूतात्मकम् ।१७.२<ref>Ashtanga Sangraha, Sutra Sthana, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%99%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A7-%E0%A5%A8%E0%A5%A6 Adhyayas 11-20]</ref> iha hi dravyaṁ pañcamahābhūtātmakam ।17.2</blockquote>The five great elements from which creation has originated are as follows:
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* Sky: The sky has been considered to be eternal. One of the properties of the sky is shabd. Just as the sky is eternal, so is its property - "shabd" is also everlasting.
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* Sky: The sky has been considered to be eternal. One of the properties of the sky is 'shabda'. Just as the sky is eternal, so is its property 'shabda' also everlasting.
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* Wind: The origin of air is assumed to be from the sky. ¶vkdk'k}k;q%¸ air is also considered to be eternal. The air has its own property of touch and the quality of the sky shabd. In this way the two properties of air - touch and word are everlasting.
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* Wind: The origin of air is assumed to be from the sky - आकाशाद्वायुः । ākāśādvāyuḥ and is also considered to be eternal like the sky. The air has its own property of touch and the quality of the sky ie. shabda. In this way the two properties of air - touch and word are everlasting.
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* Fire: Fire is also called tej. The origin of fire is believed to be from air. Fire is considered to be ¶ok;ksjkfXu¸. Fire has three properties of shabd, touch and form. All three qualities are eternal. Such are the three properties of fire.
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* Fire: Fire, also known as teja, is believed to have originated air - वायोराग्निः । vāyorāgniḥ. It has three properties viz. shabda, touch and form. And all three qualities are eternal.
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* Aap: Aap is called water. The origin of water is assumed to be from aap -¶vxzsjki%¸. aap is considered to be everlasting. Water has shabd, touch, form and taste properties. All four properties are eternal.
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* Water: Also known as Ap, the origin of water is assumed to be from agni or fire - अग्नेरापः । agnerāpaḥ. It is everlasting and has four properties viz. shabda, touch, form and taste that are all eternal like itself.
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* Earth: Earth is believed to originate from water. Amazing earth. shabd, touch, form, taste, smell are the five properties of earth.
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* Earth: It is believed to originate from water. And shabda, touch, form, taste and smell are the five properties of earth.
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{| class="wikitable"
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|+Progression and Properties
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!Panchamahabhutas
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!Properties
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|-
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|Sky
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|shabda
 +
|-
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|Air
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|shabda, touch
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|-
 +
|Fire
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|shabda, touch, form
 +
|-
 +
|Water 
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|shabda, touch, form, taste
 +
|-
 +
|Earth
 +
|shabda, touch, form, taste, smell
 +
|}
 +
Apart from the above basic and essential properties, there are some other characteristics in these mahabhutas which can be felt through the senses. For example, in the earth, water, light, air respectively, the characteristics of smell, liquidity, consistency etc. can be inferred. Similarly, there is the experience of resistance in the sky.
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Apart from the above basic essential properties, there are some other characteristics in these mahabhutas which we can feel through our senses, for example in the earth, water, light, air respectively, we can infer the characteristics of smell, liquidity, consistency etc. Similarly, we can see the experience of resistance in the sky.
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The manifestations of [[Sattva (सत्त्वम्)|Sattva]], [[Rajas (रजः)|Rajas]] and [[Tamas (तमः)|Tamas]] (qualities) are also described in the five great elements. The nature of the Panchamahabutas and their predominant qualities are as follows:
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The Five Great Elements Properties
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# Sky - Sattva predominance
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# Wind - Rajas predominance
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# Fire - Sattva and Rajas predominance
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# Water - Sattva and Tamas predominance
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# Earth - Tamas predominance
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Sky shabd
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Thus, the entire universe is created by these five great elements viz. water, fire, air, sky and earth. And their properties are continual.
 
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Air shabd, touch
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fire (tej) shabd, touch, form
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aap (water) shabd, touch, form, taste
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Earth shabd, touch, form, taste, smell
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The manifestations of Sattva, Rajas, Tamas qualities are described in the five great elements. As per the nature of their qualities, the predominance of sattva quality in the sky, rajo quality in air, sattva and rajo quality in fire, sattva and Tamas qualities in aap (water) and tamas quality in the earth can be seen.
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Five great elements Predominance of sattva, rajas, tamas
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Sky Sattva predominance
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Wind Rajas predominance
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fire Sattva + Rajas predominance
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aap Sattva + Tamas predominance
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Earth tamas predominance
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The entire universe is created by these five elements.
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• The five great elements- Water, fire, air, sky and earth.
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• The five great elements and their properties are continual.
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• The creation of the universe is made from these five elements.
   
== References ==
 
== References ==
 
<references />
 
<references />
 
[[Category:Vedas]]
 
[[Category:Vedas]]
 
[[Category:Rigveda]]
 
[[Category:Rigveda]]

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