Ayurveda, the science of life is a holistic healing system which originated in India, around 5000 years ago. This was a part of the spiritual tradition of the Hindus, with its roots lying in the ancient scriptures called Vedas.
Ayurveda is deeply influenced by the philosophy of creation and manifestation. According to this, every human being is a creation of pure existence or awareness. Everything in this entire universe is made of up of different combinations of five elements, which Ayurveda calls Pancha Mahabhutas. So is our body, as well as our mind.
The five elements are:
- Space – Aakash
- Air – Vaayu
- Fire – Tejas
- Water – Apa
- Earth – Prithvi
Space
Space is where we live, and this is the place where everything happens. Our body cells also contain spaces. It is the subtlest of all the elements.
Air
Air is transparent and lofty, and it causes activities within the space. According to Ayurveda this is the air principle. The biological functions which are originated from the sensations are considered to be functions of air. Not only this, the movements of thought, desire, which are functions of mind, are also considered to be air function.
Fire
The movements cause friction and thereby produce heat, which we call by the name fire, which is the third element. This changes matter from one state to another. The body functions like digestion and absorption are assisted by this element.
Water
Water represents the liquid state and is necessary for the survival of all living beings. The major part of our body is composed of water. Body fluids including blood, saliva and hormones help our body in the transportation of energy as well as in the removal of waste products.
Earth
This represents the solid state. The rigid and stable structures of the human body are supposed to be derived from the earth element. Permanence and stability are the terms which can be associated to this element.
These five elements manifest in a human being in the functioning of five senses of man. There are five senses, five organs associated with each of these; and each of them is associated with one of the Pancha Mahabhutas.
| Element | Sense | Sense Organ | Action | Action Organ |
| Space | Hear | Ear | Speaking | Vocal chords |
| Air | Touch | Skin | Grasping | Hands |
| Fire | Vision | Eye | Moving | Feet |
| Water | Taste | Tongue | Procreating | Genitals |
| Earth | Smell | Nose | Excreting | Anus |
Pancha Mahabhutas form the basis of all things that are a part of the creation. Balancing them in a particular way in every human is the basic principle of Ayurveda.
