Pancheekarnam

Panchikaranam is a Vedantic theory of how matter came into existence, arising from the primordial five subtle elements. History Adi Shankara wrote a treatise on this theory, titled Panchikaranam, which was elaborated by his disciple Sureshvaracharya, and later commented on by Ramabhadra's disciple Ramanand Saraswati in 2400 verses and Shuddhananda Yati's disciple Anand Giri in 160 verses. The Chandogya Upanishad teaches the theory of threefold division (trivatakarana), from which evolved the Vedantic theory of Panchikaranam regarding the creation of transformed evolutions of the basic elements. This theory is also found described by Narada in the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam. Overview Panchikaranam is the creation of elements (bhutasarga) by a process in which subtle matter (or earlier stage of matter) transforms itself into gross matter. Intellect is the subtle manifestation of consciousness and matter is its gross manifestation. Panchakarana is the "fivefold division" of the original/primordial five subtle elements. The subtle elements stand alone (tanmatra). During panchakarana, each was first divided into two parts, one part of which was further divided into four parts, equal to 1/8 parts of each subtle element, which were then recombined with the undivided parts of each element. Thus, each of the five gross elements (panchabhuta) contains half of the corresponding subtle element and four parts of each of the other four subtle elements. Accordingly, each gross element has a fivefold structure. It was also held that this process of division and recombination continues until the gross elements arise as a continuous endless process with the processes of srishti ("creation"), sustenance ("sustenance"), and samhara ("dissolution"). In panchikarana half of the original subtle element is mixed with 1/8th of other original subtle elements to produce a gross element of which the subtle element contributes its half. When the gross elements are formed, consciousness enters these elements as their presiding deity, then comes the sense of ego (I-ness) identifying with the body. The gross elements solidify and take form according to their elemental qualities.

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