PANCHENDRIYA AND THEIR PRISIDING DEITIES PANCHA BOODHAM-

Chapter 3.

---------------------------/

This chapter consists of 12 mantras, and is about a story, which is the symbolic representation of the truths so far discussed in the scriptures.

Essence of the story:-

We have already discussed how from the Unmanifest, the Manifest world emerged out, in descending series of grosser and still grosser matter. Thus we had Akasa (Sky)/Space, Vayu (Air), Agni (Fire), Jala ( water ), and ultimately Prithvi ( Earth ), the Pancha Boodhas ( Five Elements) enumerated in order of grossness--the Earth, being the grossest.

Special qualities of Elements:-

1. Akasa- has sound as its property; 2. Vayu - has besides the quality of Akasa, its own special quality of touch;  3. Agni- with sound and touch, special quality Form; 4. In Jala- besides the qualities of the previous three elements, added taste as its special quality; 5. Earth- finally possess all four preceding qualities with its special quality , the smell.

The sense-organs:-

Elements/Pancha boodhas, are the presiding deities of the corresponding sense-organs that illuminate these qualities

The Story:-

With the above-mentioned  Sastric tradition in our mind, if we were to read the seemingly mythological story, we shall discover its purpose in Kenopanisad. The story will follow in the next.