Shloka 7
Qualities of the Five Great Elements; Description of Sudarśana-dvīpa and Mount Meru
शब्दः स्पर्शश्च वायोस्तु आकाशे शब्द एव च । एते पंच गुणा विप्रा महाभूतेषु पंचसु
śabdaḥ sparśaśca vāyostu ākāśe śabda eva ca | ete paṃca guṇā viprā mahābhūteṣu paṃcasu
El sonido y el tacto pertenecen al aire; y en el éter hay sólo sonido. Oh brāhmanes, éstas son las cinco cualidades en los cinco grandes elementos.
Unspecified (narrative exposition within Svarga-khaṇḍa)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: celestial_realm
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्पर्शश्च = स्पर्शः + च; वायोस्तु = वायोः + तु; एते पंच = एते + पञ्च (संख्या); महाभूतेषु पंचसु = महाभूतेषु + पञ्चसु.
FAQs
It summarizes a tattva-style mapping of the mahābhūtas (great elements) to their perceptible qualities (guṇas), a common cosmological framework also seen in Sāṅkhya and Purāṇic teaching.
In this scheme, ākāśa is the subtlest element and is associated with the capacity for vibration/propagation, expressed as sound; additional sensory qualities (like touch) arise in progressively denser elements such as air.
It encourages discernment between subtle and gross levels of experience—recognizing how perception is structured—supporting contemplative inquiry into the body, senses, and the material world.