Sri Bharatamata

Ashtottaram 81

 

81) OṀ PANĊHA BHŨTĀRĀDHANA BHŨMYAINAMAH:

 

           OṀ (AUM) -PAN-ĊHA- BHOO-TAA-RAA-DHA-NA- BHOO- MYAI- NA-- MA- HA

 

  (Panćha Bhūtās: means-Five fundamental elements of creation; Ārādhana: means-worship, and

service)

 

 

 

One of the more widely used terms in the Indian Hindu philosophical systems, the word 'bhūta' refers to the five fundamental elements-panćhabhūtās are: pruthvī (earth), āp (water), tejas (fire), vāyu (air), and ākāśa (ether/space), the permutations and combinations of which result in this physical universe. These bhūtās have two aspects, the primary and the secondary. In the primary aspect they are 'sūkshmabhūtās or 'tanmātrās'. They arise from the Ātman associated with ajnāna or nescience and are called so since each one of them contains only that quality. For instance, the primordial element ākāśa has only śabda (sound or vibration) as its characteristic and hence called the śabda-tanmātra'. The other primordial elements are: sparśa-tanmātra (vāyu or air), rūpa-tanmātra (Agni or fire), rasa- tanmātra (āpa or water) and gandha- tanmātra (pruthvī or earth).

 

When these primordial elements combine among themselves by the process of panćī-karaṇa or quintuplication they produce the secondary elements, the gross ones, more commonly called the 'mahābhūtās or sṭhūla bhūtas. Further creation takes place out of them, associated of course, with the Ātman.

 

There are different meanings for the term 'bhūta'. The word bhūta is also applied to all the living beings as a general term. Another meaning is spirits, ghosts, and goblins. One of the eight sections of Āyurveda, the science of health and longevity, is also designated as "Bhūtavidya".

 

With their power of tapas (austerities) and divine vision, our ancient sages realized that these fundamental elements are not jaḍam (inert objects) and they have power and energy. And they are the manifestations of the 'Almighty' (Parabrahman). The ṟishis gave them the rūpas (forms) and imparted that knowledge to us, and gave us the hymns to worship these five fundamental elements known as panćhabhūtas. To date, every Hindu worships Ganges (water), Agni (fire), and Earth (as deity-Bhūmāta). We offer prayers and worship them daily. In the 'Panćhāksharīmantram, all these panćhabhūtās are embeded. When there is famine, or draught; and for the welfare of the humanity, our priests perform homams (fire rituals). Sadāćhāra sampannās (dhārmic and ritualistic Hindus), as soon as they get up from bed at the dawn, before they even touch the ground with their feet, they recite a hymn to the Earth goddess, asking her permission to walk on her. That's the kind of respect and understanding we have about the panchabhūtas.

 

Our land is 'Panćha Bhūtārādhana Bhūmi'.