Ayurveda is well known science of ancient India from the time of Vedas. And its methodology is based on so many basic principles which are simillar in all Vedic scriptures. Among them Panchamahabhoota or Panchabhoota sidhanta (theory) is very common, which plays an very important role in understanding of Ayurveda.
Panchamahabhoota is an Sanskrit term which is made up of three words i.e. pancha (five), maha (gross/ important) and bhoota (elements). So the terms Panchamahabhoota combinely form the five important elements; why they are called as important? Because they plays a major role in formation of the Universe or Cosmos as well in formation of everything present inside and outside it. So it is called as the five basic elements of life.
1. Akasha mahabhoota
2. Vayu mahabhoota
3. Agni mahabhoota
4. Jala mahabhoota
5. Pruthvi mahabhoota
This is the first mahabhoota came into existence among all the other five which is like a big blank space. It is correlated with Space elements of the body/ Universe. Wherever there is a blank space inside the body it is beacause of Aakasha mahabhoota like blank space inside organs especially in ear and lungs etc.
After condensing/ densening of Akasha mahabhoota there is origin of Vayu mahabhoota takes place. Which becomes Air, which flows all around and in all directions. In Ayurveda all the movements or related to the motionary things inside the body is because of Vayu mahabhoota only like respiration process, body movements and muscle movement etc.
As again after condensation/ densening of Vayu leads to the origing of Agni mahabhoota. It is the Fire element present in the body, so anything which is related with heat or light things in the body is because of Agni mahabhoota like metabolic reactions, chemical reactions and digestion process etc.
So after densening of Agni or fire element the Agni mahabhoota is converted to the Jala mahabhoota. It is the Water element of the body and anything related with the liquid inside the body it will be because of Jala mahabhoota like blood, lymph, urine and sweat etc.
At last the Jala mahubhoota or Water element condensed into the Pruthavi or Earth element. It is anything which has shape and weight only relates to this element in the body. All the structures which are visible is beacuse of Pruthavi mahabhoota like muscles, bones, organs and hairs etc.
These five basic elements work on the Vedic theory named as
“व्यदेशेन भूयसा” which means everything present in the Cosmos or Universe is beacause of these five basic elements only. Which finally concludes as that planets, humans, rivers, mountains and animals etc. everything is formed out from these five basic elements, and because of that they are called as the Panchamahabhoota.
There is one more concept of “यत्र ब्रह्माण्ड तत्र पिण्ड” that means anything which is situated in the cosmos (ब्रह्माण्ड/ brahamanda) is simillarly present inside the body human (पिण्ड/ pinda). This creates the simillarity between the cosmos and human body and it also shows the connection between the both
