Shloka 5
मनु-उपदेशः — भूत-उत्पत्ति, इन्द्रिय-निवृत्ति, तथा पर-स्वभाव-विवेकः
Manu’s Instruction on Elemental Origination, Sense-Withdrawal, and Discrimination of the Supreme Nature
पृथिवी वायुराकाशमापो ज्योतिश्न॒ पठचमम् । महाभूतानि भूतानां सर्वेषां प्रभवाप्ययौ,पृथ्वी, वायु, आकाश, जल और अग्नि--ये पाँच महाभूत सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंकी उत्पत्ति और प्रलयके स्थान हैं
pṛthivī vāyur ākāśam āpo jyotiṣ ca pañcamam | mahābhūtāni bhūtānāṁ sarveṣāṁ prabhavāpyayau ||
毗湿摩说道：“地、风、空、水，以及第五的火——此为五大（mahābhūta）。对一切众生而言，它们是生起之基，也是归灭之处。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
All embodied beings arise from and dissolve back into the five great elements (earth, water, fire/light, wind, and space). Recognizing this shared elemental basis supports humility, non-attachment, and an ethical outlook grounded in the impermanence of the body.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on right understanding and conduct, Bhīṣma teaches Yudhiṣṭhira (implicitly in this section) about the constituents of the world. Here he enumerates the five mahābhūtas and states their role as the source and end-point of all beings.