Panchmahabhutas

Naturopathy aims at 3 levels of intervention i.e., Preventive, Promotive and Curative  aspects of health with a view to prevent and cure diseases by removing their root cause and to promote and preserve the ideal of positive health. This is the fundamental of Nature cure treatments

All things on earth are formed by Panchamahabhutas. This concept of 5 element theory is supported by many ancient beliefs and traditions and is even backed up by scriptures written a few thousands years ago.

There is not a single thing on earth that is not made out of these Panchamahabhutas. These Mahabhutas are found in nature as well as in human body. The literal meaning of Panchmahabhutas is ‘The five great elements’

These mahabhutus are as follows:

1. Earth (Prithvi)
2. Water (Aap)
3. Fire (Teja)
4. Air (Vayu)
5. Ether/ Akash (Space)

The human body is made up of organ system that is made up of human organs; the organs are made up of tissues, and the tissues are made up of cells. The whole human body is therefore composed of cells themselves. The entire body contains about 100 trillion cells.

Even a single living cell is a unique combination of these five elements:-

• The earth element gives structure to the body. Earth manifests itself in the solid structure of the body such as bones, teeth, flesh, and hair etc.
• The water element is present in the cytoplasm, or the liquid within the cell, digestive juices, saliva
• Fire controls the functioning of enzymes  and corresponds to intelligence, functioning of digestive system and metabolism
• Air denotes the movement.The gaseous exchange taking place symbolizes air
• The space occupied by the cell symbolizes the space or ether (The pores through which nutrition reaches the cell and the waste metabolic products are excreted out, represents the voids within the body such as mouth, nostrils, abdomen
• These elements are used to revitalize and rejuvenate the body and strengthen the immune system against disease-causing agents in and around us.
• The cell works with a combination of these five great elements and any imbalance in these five great elements leads to deposition of toxins what we call accumulation of morbid matter. This leads to abnormal composition of blood and lymph, which reduces the vitality and allows germs to grow, causing disease.
• The balance in five great elements gives health, and imbalance gives rise to disease. So treatment in Naturopathy is should be given through these five great elements to restore the health. This type of treatment is called Panchabhouthic treatment or naturopathic treatment.

• The Panchamahabhuta theory is present in the YAJUR VEDA [5000BC], in seventh, eighth, ninth chapter of titreya section of titreya division of Krishna Yajur Veda that constitutes titreya Upanishad.

 ”SARVAM DRAVYAM PANCHABHOUTIKATVAM”

All the things are formed on the earth are made of pancha mahabhutuas.

The word panchamahabhuta can be divided in to three.

1. pancha –‘five’, 2. maha – ‘great’,  and 3. bhuta –‘that which exists’

• The very first element among these five that involves to existence is Akash (Ether). It is most expansive and least concrete of all. The subsequent element derived is Vayu (Air), and then comes Agni (Fire), then Jala (Water) and lastly Prithvi (Earth) element is created. Depending upon the predominance of the content, the matter is classified as Parthiva, Apya, Taijasa, Vayaviya and Akashiya

Ether or Universal Space (Aakash) 

• Akash means space i.e. having space/ freedom to move. The qualities of the ether element include- light, subtle, and immeasurable and are related to actions such as expansion, vibration, non-resistance. All body channels pores or empty space symbolised the ether or space elements.
• Its chief property is movability or motion.
• The ear is the sensory organ related to ether element. The tanmatra of the ether element is Sound or Shabda.

Air (Vayu)

• Air element is related to movement or a sense of constant motion.
• The qualities of air element include sensitivity, motion, cool and subtle presence.
• Skin is the sensory organ related to air element.
• The tanmatra of the air element is Touch or Sparsha.

Divine Fire (Agni)

• The air element performs movements and whenever there is movement, it causes friction and this leads to the formation of fire. The qualities of fire element are related to various functions such as penetration, digestion of food, conversion of thoughts, intellect and perception of light. The tanmatra of the fire element is Vision or Rupa.
• It converts food into fact or stored energy and turns food into energy.
• This provides the energy required for all activities in our body. Organs related to fire elements are abdominal organs.

Water (Jala)

• The water element qualities include liquidity or fluidity..
• It shows important quality of binding. Eg: if we add water to the soil then we can easily make mud balls.
• This binding nature helps in forming different structures in our body as it binds the two cells together.
• Thus, this important element is constructive in nature and exhibits qualities such as adhesion, cooling, binding and liquidity. The tanmatra of the water element is Taste or Rasa
• Our blood, lymph and other fluids bringing energy, carrying away waste, regulating temperature and carry hormones from one area to another

Earth (Pruthvi)

• This earth element is solid, gross, hard and dense.
• Earth element gives form, shape, structure and strength. For e.g. teeth, nails, bones and muscles.
• Nose is the sense organ related to the earth element.
• The tanmatra of the Earth element is Smell or Gandha.

Tanmatras

• The 5 elements form subtle essence or panchtanmatra or Sukshmabhootas
• Panch- 5, Tan- subtle, matra- element (tattvas)
• (Tanmatra is a Sanskrit word which means subtle essence.) These tanmatras embodied the 5 mahabhoots as follows.
• The 5 tanmatras are Sound (Shabda), Touch (Sparsha), Vision (Roopa), Taste (Rasa), Smell (Gandha).These tanmatras are related to each sense organ

Relation of Panchmahabhutas and Tridoshas

• Thesepanchmahabhoota imbalance create “tridoshas” ‘tri’ means three; ‘doshas’ means basic components which constitute every human body.
• Every individual’s constitution is created by these three doshas at the time of fertilization during garbhdharana(when the embryo is formed.) The proportions of these 3 doshas’ are determined at this time and remain unchanged during his/her life. These doshas together determine our prakruti (body organization).
• Each human being is either of
  • Vaat prakruti (prakruti dominated by vaat dosh) or
  • Pitta prakruti (prakruti dominated by pitta dosh) or
  • Kafa prakruti (prakruti dominated by kafa dosh)

• Vaat dosh is formed by Aakash (Universal Space) and Vayu (air) elements. . It controls all aspects of our body’s movements inside and out, including muscle movement, movement of food through our digestive tract, movement of blood through our blood vessels, etc.
• Pitta dosh is caused by Agni (Divine Fire) elements and water so, it governs digestion, biotransformation of the digested food, and metabolism. The seats of pitta are in the digestive system, brain, lymph, liver, spleen, skin, eyes, and blood.
• Kafa dosh is produced by Jala (Water) and Pruthvi (Earth) elements. Therefore, it represents structure and the oily factors of our body, including fat tissue, mucous secretions, lubricating fluids, etc.

The seven Chakras in the subtle human body are associated with these five elements: