Panchamahabhoota

Panchamahabhoota पंचमहाभूत (Manifestation of creation)

Panchamahabhoota (पंचमहाभूत) is primarily the smallest particle of any substance in the universe solid, liquid or gaseous. It forms the basis of all living as well as non living things in this universe.

Ayurved and all its allied branches are based on this very important principle. The principle states that the universe is composed of five basic cardinal elements namely, Pruthvi पृथ्वी (Earth), Jala जल (Water), Tej तेज (Fire), Vayu वायू (Air) and Aakash आकाश (Space) each having its own characteristics.

Differential characteristics of Mahabhootas (महाभूत) are as follows:

Mahabhoot / महाभूत	Unique Characteristic
Pruthvi पृथ्वी (Earth)	Kharatva खरत्व (Roughness)
Jala जल (Water)	Dravatva द्रवत्व (Liquidity)
Tej तेज (Fire)	Ushnatva उष्णत्व (Heat)
Vayu वायू (Air)	Chalatva चलत्व (Movement)
Aakash आकाश (Space)	Apratighat अप्रतिघात (Emptiness )

Though everything in universe is composed of all these five elements generally one is predominant and large in quantum and hence, the substance is labelled accordingly as

Parthiv (पार्थिव)
Jaliya (जलीय)
Taijas (तेजस)
Vayavya (वायव्य)
Aakashiya (आकाशीय)

For example, a stone is labeled as Parthiv (पार्थिव) not because it is composed only of Earth but because the other elements are less in quantum as compared to the Pruthvi Mahabhoota (पृथ्वी महाभूत).

Concept of Panchamahabhoota (पंचमहाभूत) forms the base of all other principles of Ayurved.