Panchamahabhoot and atom (co-relation)

According to Ayurveda, Panchamahabhoot are the five great elements, viz. Akash (space), Vayu (air), Agni (fire), Jala (water), and Prithvi (Earth). The word “chemistry” used here is not the same elements like hydrogen… as used in chemistry. In fact they can be co-related with the atoms.

Atoms as considered as the smallest particle of the matter in modern science. Likewise Ayurveda believes that everything is made up of Panchamahabhoota. Let’s co-relate all five mahabhoota with atom.

1. Akash (space) – Akash gives the sense of space, emptiness or vacuum. This can be co-related with the space in the atom in between nucleus and electron or between electronic orbital.
2. Vayu (air) – Vayu gives the sense of movement. Modern science says that the electron in the atom is always in motion. So the vayu is co-related with the motion of electron.
3. Agni (fire) – Agni (the fire) itself represent a heat energy but this mahabhoota Agni acknowledge about the energy. This energy is in the relation with the energy of atom. Atom bomb is an example that atom has energy. And this energy somehow express in form of heat energy as modern science says that the ultimate form of energy is the heat energy.
4. Jala (water) – Jala word used here is in the sense of that thing which binds together. For example, in the flour (which is not combined) when added water forms dough (all flour is combined). This can be co-related with the binding force that binds neutron and proton in the nucleus of atom. Jala in the language of Physics can be said as force. In atom also the force due to which the electrons never escape from nucleus and rotate in its stationary orbital.
5. Prithivi (Earth) – Prithivi is the word used to describe that all the other four mahabhoot are combined here. Atom contains its different constituent like proton, neutron, electron…; likewise Prithivi is made up of all these four components.

Ayurveda although such an ancient philosophy, has included all the things that the people in this recent time discover. Every philosophy used in Ayurveda has some relation to nature or the modern science. It’s only that we must be able to co-relate it with modern discovery. We must finally be able to co-relate Ayurveda and find new discoveries to this modern society.