In Chapter 2, Manifestation of Siva as Cosmic Purush, we understood how Sakti’s unfoldment from Siva creates the first Pinda or what Guru Gorakhnath calls Para Pinda or Anadi Pinda or Adya Pinda. It is considered the first formation of the spiritual body of Siva who is otherwise formless. Pinda as a word indicates a container or an organized whole, a living unity of many parts. It is considered to be the first living entity conscious of its existence and so, it is also referred to as the Cosmic Purush.

The next stage is the evolution of the physical Universe from this Adya Pinda. The universe extends in space and changes with time, creating the spatio-temporal reality. The Universe now becomes an objective and physical reality. This is called the Maha Sakar Pinda by Guru Gorakhnath. It is considered to be Cosmic body of Siva. It is through this body that Siva’s existence is revealed. So it is the play of Sakti and Siva which creates this magnificent universe or Maha Sakar Pinda.

Guru Gorakhnath then goes on to talk about how the Maha Sakar Pinda or the physical universe is formed. He says that it evolves through the creation of the 5 Maha-Bhutas or Great Elements as follows:

From the Adya Pinda evolves Maha-Akasa (or Great Ether)
From Maha-Akasa evolves Maha-Vayu (Great Air)
From Maha-Vayu evolves Maha-Tejas (Great Fire)
From Maha-Tejas evolves Maha-Salila (Great Water)
From Maha Salila evolves Maha-Prithwi(Great Earth)

(Note-English equivalent words may not give us an accurate understanding of the Sanskrit words)

These 5 Maha-Bhutas, organize and combine in myriad ways to create everything that exists in the Universe. The characteristics of each of these Mahabutas are also detailed by Guru Gorakhnath.

Maha-Akasa is the finest and subtlest element among the 5 Bhutas. Each Bhuta that evolves next becomes grosser compared to what it evolved from. So Maha-Vayu is grosser than Maha-Akasa, Maha-Tejas is grosser than Maha-Vayu, Maha-Salila is grosser than Maha Tejas and Maha-Prithwi is grosser than Maha Salila and so the grossest, solid and physical of all of the 5 Bhutas.

Further, since the Bhutas evolve from each other, they also pervade each other as follows:
Akasa pervades Vayu
Akasa + Vayu pervade Tejas
Akasa + Vayu + Tejas pervade Salila
Akasa + Vayu + Tejas + Salila pervade Prithwi

It is the Adya Pinda that pervades all the above Maha-Bhutas, it enlivens them and organizes them into innumerable variety of harmonious wholes which are further organized into harmonious wholes and systems and ultimately creates the gross physical universe and our world as we know it.
(Note : By the word Pervade we mean suffuses or permeates or is in every part of)

The term therefore given to the universe is Panchabhoutika-Jagat (gross world constituting 5 original elements) or Parthiva-Jagat (the world made of Prithwi which comprises all other elements within it).

Guru Gorakhnath has given details of attributes of each of these 5 Maha-Bhutas as follows :

Maha-Akasa:

1. 1. Avakasa – means vacuum or emptiness or something that can be penetrated.  This is the quality which makes it occupy all space and allows for everything to be contained within it.  When all other physical, visible, tangible objects cease to exist, it still exists
   2. Acchidra – means there are no gaps in it and it has perfect continuity.  It cannot be divided or cut into smaller pieces.  Objects can exist within it and it also exists within objects as it is all pervasive
   3. Aprisatwa – means it cannot be touched.  It is a subtle thing and so has no tangible qualities.  While it contains all the objects which evolve from it, it cannot be touched by them.  It remains unaffected by changes taking place within such objects within itself. All solid, liquid, gaseous, light, electricity, etc evolves from it and exists within it but there is no transformation within Maha-Akasa itself.  It continues to remain untouched inspite of changes taking place within the tangible/intangible things that exist within it and which are evolved from it.
   4. Nila-Varnatwa – It refers to the dark blue tending towards black color of Maha Akasa.  While it has no visible colors and remains in the background within which everything exists.
   5. Sabdatwa – It has the potential of producing sound or for allowing sounds from the other 4 tattwas to manifest within it.

This subtle Maha Akasa is the first physical manifestation of the spatio-temporal cosmos.

Maha-Vayu : The attributes listed below for Maha-Vayu show clearly that Vayu should not be mistaken for air or wind as commonly understood.  It indicates a force which makes all movement possible.

1. Sancara – This means Motion. So Maha-Vayu carries the quality of movement which can be vibrations, waves, upheavals, physical, chemical, electrical, biological changes, integration, disintegration of matter or any other kind of movement.
2. Sancalana – Maha-Vayu not only has the ability for movement, it also act as a force to cause all kinds of movements as stated above or to move other non moving objects.  It is this attribute which creates the first motion in the tranquil Maha-Akasa
3. Sparsa – It can be perceived through the senses of touch and it also stimulates the sense of touching
4. Soshana – It has the quality of absorption of the other 3 Tattwas – Agni, Salila, Prithwi–that it permeates into itself. So it absorbs the heat of Agni, the coldness of Salila and the scents of Prithwi without destroying them or modifying them.
5. Dhumra-varnatwa – It is considered to be smoke colored.  While it is not visible to physical eyes, this subtle Tattwa has subtle, invisible color which is considered to be smoke colored

Maha-Vayu is considered to be the source of all forces of nature as it is this which makes possible all movement in the universe.  The vital forces in our physical bodies, which create movements within our bodies or those that bring about physical, chemical, electrical changes and movements in the body also originate from Maha-Vayu.  Within the body it gets manifested as Prana-Vayu. So, Maha-Vayu is the dynamic element of the universe. It is the life power which energises all other Tattwas.

Maha-Tejas : Maha-Tejas  evolves from and is pervaded by Maha-Vayu, so all its qualities of heat, light, burning, transformation, etc evolve from motion or vibration which is the chief quality of Maha-Vayu (as also is evident from the theories of friction)

1. Dahakatwa – It has the quality of burning or combustion. So it is able to break down any cohesive object and break it down to its basic ingredients.
2. Pacakatwa – This is the quality of assimilation or transformations, due to which it can transform any object and bring about new characteristics in it.  The best example is of digestion of food in any animal body.  The food consumed is acted upon by the Tejas Tattwa and converts all ingested food into tissue, bone, muscle, etc. In plants food is converted to colors, taste, etc. It can transform plain clay into a hard material and so is used by potters.
3. Ushnatwa – This refers to its quality of heat.
4. Prakasatwa – This means its quality of light.
5. Rakta-varnatwa – This refers to its red color

Maha-Salila : The book indicates that it is Maha-Tejas that cools down, gets a softer quality and transforms, during the process of evolution, into Maha-Salila

1. Pravaha – means continuous flow or current
2. Apyayana – means it has the quality of fertilizing or filling up things to make them flower or grow
3. Drava – means fluidity
4. Rasa – means palatable
5. Sweta-varnatwa – Indicates its white color

Maha-Prithwi :

1. Sthulata – means grossness.  It is the most solid of the 5 Tattwas
2. Nanakarata – means it has multiple forms, shapes, sizes.
3. Kathnya – Means Solid
4. Gandha – this refers to odour.  It is has its own smell and also imparts smells to other solid objects
5. Pita-varnatwa – This refers to its yellow color

Having described the constitution of the Maha Sakar Pinda through the description of the 5 Tattwas, Guru Gorakhnath says – Sa Eva Sivah (SSP.I.37) – The Maha Sakar Pinda is veritably Siva Himself. So he seems to indicate that this is the Cosmic Body of Siva existing in time and space.

So with the unfoldment of his Sakti, Siva manifests Himself in a multitude of forms with varied attributes and characteristics and newer and newer expressions of himself.

Within this cosmic order or Maha Sakar Pinda, Siva further manifests Himself as 8 divine personalities, who are called the Ashta Murti of the Maha Sakar Pinda – Siva, Bhairava, Srikantha, Sadasiva, Ishwara, Rudra, Vishnu, and Brahma.

These Self Manifestations are 8 types of Cosmic Consciousnesses through which Siva performs the cosmic functions of regulation, preservation & destruction within the constantly modifying cosmic system. These Ashta Murtis in detail in our next Post.

Next…..Chapter 4 – Evolution of the 8 Divine Consciousnesses of Siva