* Five great elements- Pancha-mahabhutas; their causal, subtle and gross evolutes in an individual and universe, with reference to Yogic exercises.
Five great elements- Pancha-mahabhutas; their causal, subtle and gross evolutes in an individual and universe, with reference to Yogic exercises.
Shri Narayan Muni said:-
A master Yogi, who has attained Samadhi-equipoise, is self dependant; and he retains his body at his own will or abundance it, being free, from the fear of death. 1.
For a Yogin, wishing for, either abandonment of his body or retention of the body, for long time in this world, the grasp of five gross Elements, is essential. 2.
Without knowing the purposes of human body and the Brahmic-egg (Pinda- brahmanda), how can he know the art of abandoning and/or non-abandoning the mortal body? 3.
So, the five gross elements, which are the root causes and their effects, present in the cosmic egg, as well as human body, must to be known. 4.
Shatanand said:-
O omnipresent Lord! I wish to specifically know about the gross elements, which are the cause of individual body, as well as cosmic egg. Thou deserveth to explain that. 5.
In case these gross Elements: earth etc. are of equal status, how the difference among the effects and the causes would be understood ? 6.
Shri Narayan Muni said:-
Due to the paucity or amplitude of the effects and the causes, in the context of the role, either as the object of substratum or the substratum itself, the difference is to be understood. 7.
Since, the gross elements are the causes and the human body and the cosmos, those are present in the form of effect, as in the case of earthen pots etc. on the earth, the entities named as gross elements are in the form of substratum of the eggs etc. It is like the sea and the waves on water. 8 - 9.
The five gross elements are dependent on the sentient person and the primordial matter, alone. By the union of those two, the eggs are born through them, indeed. 10.
Just as on the surface of earth, the generation of eggs is seen, due to the union of pairs of birds, which are born out of eggs, due to the potency of the Supreme self, O talented one! Likewise, due to the union of sentient Person and the primordial matter, the generation of eggs takes place, through the gross elements. This happens due to the will of the Supreme self, through those two and not otherwise. 11 - 12.
Whatever five elements are in the Cosmos, those are originated, only because of the will of God, from the portions of those gross elements. Just as the generation of birds, body takes place through the egg, of an egg-born bird; likewise, in this cosmos, the generation of creatures takes place, in course of time. 13 - 14
So the sages, who have the knowledge of that (cosmology), have said that, those gross elements, which are called cause, have become the elements, present amidst the Brahmic-egg (cosmos), are named as effect. 15.
The gross human body, called Pinda, which originates through the union of semen and zygote of a man and a woman, it is also known as born from the portions of five gross elements.16.
There, the solid base, is known as the earth and liquid part in body, is known as water element, and body heat is called Tejas element; and activity is wind-element; and empty space in body, is the ether element, O Suvrat! Thus, all the five gross elements are present in whole body. Therein also, the three elements: fire, water and wind are especially present in the body; this is to be mainly understood by the Yogin. 17-19
Among the above three, wind element (Vayu), is the main; and other two are dependent on it. And the wind element is also dependent on those two. Thus, there is interdependence of three elements. 20.
Among all the six sheaths (Koshas), Agni element is the one that ripens the body constituents (Dhatu), in the role of stomachic fire (Jataragni) and bears the body firmly. 21.
Water in the body, in the form of virility is the cause of human body. Human body- sustains by the strength of virility; and with exhaustion of virility, the body perishes. 22.
Wind element sustains body, having attained the essence of sense organs and activating entire body through the pentad of vital breaths (Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana and Samana). 23.
All the vital breaths are present in the bodies of embodied souls, by concentrating in centre of the naval. Those move oblique, upwards and downwards, there from alone. 24.
The wind mainly flows in Sushumna, all the time. From there, it enters into all the veins, ancillary to it. 25.
O the best one! The vital breath: Prana is stationed above the navel, while protecting the body. It stays in the head, as well as, in the (stomachic) fire, after pervading that body-region. 26.
Apana breath stays beneath the navel and kindles the stomachic fire. The stomachic fire dwells in-between the vital breaths: Apana and Prana. 27.
The vital breath: Vyaana, remains in all the body joints, while activating the body. The vital breath: Udaana is located in the throat, playing the role of attempting forcible action, through buoyancy. 28.
The vital breath: Samanaka is located in the navel, while kindling the heat in the sheaths, by assembling anything that is eaten or drunk and making it duly, respectively channelized. 29.
In this way, the eminence of Agni, Jala and Vaayu, in the body, is thus mentioned. There also, wind element is considered, by Yogic scholars, more important among them. 30.
So, in the function of either abandoning or retaining his own body, by a Yogin, the wind element: external as well as internal, is to be contemplated upon. 31.
Having practiced breath-control, the stomachic fire, which is dependent on it, gets itself regulated. Thereby, his body would sustain for long time. 32.
When, for a Yogin, there would be apathy for retention of the body; and there would arise the desire for discarding it, then, he may abandon it, after meditating upon wind element. 33.
Having ascertained the nature of wind element, contained in human body, as well as outer cosmos, the Yoga-expert should initially prepare a very firm seat. 34.
To attain whatever celestial world, would be his own desideratum, he should meditate, at heart, upon the wind element to escort, to that destination; and visualising oneself to be located therein, he should discard his own mortal body. 35.
The yogin, who has assumed the form of wind-element (Vayurupa: gaseous state), and the role of perennial time and becomes everywhere fearless. He attains the state (loka) as per his own wish, while being praised by the gods etc. 36.
Then, he obtains Lordly (Bhagawati) body, due to the grace of Vasudeva; and continues to live there over, while relishing the Supreme bliss. 37.
This yogin, thus, attains the sublime celestial abode, of the Supreme Person; and directly serves His lotus like feet, as does Goddess Rama. He gets the cherished happiness, by serving the diety, which is being contemplated upon by the eminent seers. 38.
Thus ends the sixty-third chapter entitled, ‘narration of internal and external forms of five elements, in topic of Yoga,’ in the fifth Prakaran of Satsangi jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as Dharmashastra. (the rules of the code of conduct). 63