Quintuplication of the subtle elements

Panchadas’i.1.26,27—The omnipotent Lord combined the five subtle elements by the process known as ‘panchiikaraNam’ (Quintuplication)and produced gross elements to provide the jiivas (individual souls) with physical bodies and objects of enjoyment. The process of combination of the subtle elements is—Each subtle element is divided into two equal parts. The second half of each such element is divided into four equal parts (i.e. to get one-eighth of each element). Then the first half of each element is combined with one-eighth of each of the other four elements to make a gross element. The result is that in a gross element of earth one half is earth itself and the other half is made up of the elements of water, fire, air and space in equal shares. Similarly with the other four gross elements.

       In the Chhaandogya upanishad, the creation of only fire, water and earth is spoken of (Chapter 6). It is further said that these three are combined (6.3.3). In Vedaantasaara, para 101 it is said that the authoritativeness of the compounding of the five elements is indirectly supported by the description of the combination of three elements in Ch.up.6.3.3. This combination of the three elements is also referred to in Brahma suutra 2.4.22.  

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