To understand the working of ayurveda
as science, the knowledge about the concept of Panchamahabhoota is very
vital. As known from the readings that aksha is the first element that came
into existence was not a synonym of sky but it can be conceptually similar
to the space. The perspective of Akasha to understand will need greater
consciousness of the time-space universe.
These are the lines from the book "Music of the spheres " written
by Guy Murchie:
" To understand what this fantastic world is all about - to see its
basic pattern and meaning - I must crane my soul to examine it deeply and,
in so far as is possible, independently. I must seek a perspective far
beyond the traditional, beyond the safe and proper, even beyond the human.
When I was a child, I used to think that little things were simpler than big
things. One day wondering in the woods, I suddenly understood that the
smallness off an acron (Oak seed) may not really make it any simpler than
the oak, for it as surely contains oaks as the oak contains acrons. And ever
since then, whenever space outside our world of sense seems more important
or more impressive than the space within the atom, I can remind myself that
the differences are only relative and almost certainly as illusionary."
Akasha Mahabhoota
it is believed in ayurveda that Akasha is Anadi and Anant i.e. it does not
have any origin or end and it is sarvavyapi (omnipresent, ever existent).
The only way we can understand Akasha is from its apratighatatwa guna, which
allows very existence of the matter. As nothing can exist in the absence of
space, even the human bodies, cells and organs have a space to exist. As the
outer space is for our body, our body is for the billions of cells in it. It
is believed that the outer space is made up of nothing but the inner space
and thus proving the sarvavyapakatwa of this basic element Akasha. Aksha has
shabda (sound) as the sense attribute. Shabda is the very basic form of
energy, which is also ever existent as Akasha.
As the theory of Eienstine states that "The energy can neither be
created nor destroyed but can be changed from one form to another and that
matter is nothing but a form of energy (E= MC) energy can not exist without
matter and vice verse. In the Akashamahabhoota energy exists in the form of
Shabda.
According to Hindu philosophy, "AUM" was the first Shabda to
exist and from it the Universe evolved. Together many shabda constitute a
mantra, which is a repetition of group of shabda or a specific energy-field.
Inspite of mantra, mani and aushadhi being the basic forms of treatment in
ayurveda, mantra chikitsa is given first preference as it is believed that
it is Daivi (divine) form of treatment. The Second being Mani Chikitsa
(gems) and the third, which is most widely used is Aushadhi-Chikitsa
(medicine).