According to Ayurveda everything in life is composed of the Panchamahabhutas – Akash (Space), Vayu(Air), Jal (Water), Agni (Fire) and Prithvi (Earth). Omnipresent, they are mixed in an infinite variety of relative proportions such that each form of matter is distinctly unique. Although each element has a range of attributes, only some get evident in particular situations. Constantly changing and interacting with each other,.they create a situation offlux that keeps the world going.

Ahamkara is a two-fold creation. The first is Satwa, the subjective world, which is able to perceive and manipulate matter. It comprises the subtle body (the mind), the capacity of the five sense organs to hear, feel, see, taste and smell, and for the five organs of action to speak, grasp, move, procreate and excrete. The mind and the subtle organs providing the bridge between the body, the Ahamkara and the inner wisdom, which three together is considered the essential nature of humans. The second is Tamas, the objective world of the five elements of sound, touch, vision, taste and smell – the five subtle elements that give rise to the dense elements of ether or space, air, fire, water and the earth – from which all matter of the physical world is derived. And it is Rajas, the force or the energy of movement, which brings together parts of these two worlds.

 

Panchamahabuthas	Sense organs	Sensory Function	Properties	Actions
Space	Ears	Hearing	creates natural void in the body	Produces softness lightness and porosity
Air	Skin	Touch	Light clear and Dry Slightly bitter taste	Creates dryness, lightness and emaciation.
Fire	Eyes	Visual(Sight)	1.Controls temperature and luster of body colour 2.Pungent taste	Helps in digestion, maturation, improves eye sight
Earth	Nose	Smell	Heavy, immobile, compact & rough.*Controls organs as teeth, nails, flesh, skin, tendons & muscles.	Acts as a nutrient, emollient and purgative
Water	Tongue	Taste	1. Sweet & stringent, sour & saline taste. 2. Imparts lossiness	Enhances fluid content & purgative*Acts as nutrient, emollient and purgative.

It is worth noting that even at the stage of the dense elements the philosophy of creation –which according to Sankaya is now and in the present, without any past and any future – is still dealing with aspects of existence beyond our simple physical realms.

The Panchamahabutas combine in an infinite variety of ways to form all matter in the universe.