growth and
becomes humid. In the bodies of all mobile things the five elements
occur. In each the proportions are different. It is in consequence of
these five elements that mobile objects can move their bodies. Skin,
flesh, bones, marrow, and arteries and veins, that exist together in the
body are made of earth. Energy, wrath, eyes, internal heat, and that
other heat which digest the food that is taken, these five, constitute
the fire that occurs in all embodied creatures.[556] The ears, nostrils,
mouth, heart, and stomach, these five, constitute the element of space
that occurs in the bodies of living creatures. Phlegm, bile, sweat, fat,
blood, are the five kinds of water that occur in mobile bodies. Through
the breath called Prana a living creature is enabled to move. Through
that called Vyana, they put forth strength for action. That called Apana
moves downwards. That called Samana resides within the heart. Through
that called Udana one eructates and is enabled to speak in consequence of
its piercing through (the lungs, the throat, and the mouth). These are
the five kinds of wind that cause an embodied creature to live and move.
The properties of scent an embodied creature knows through the
earth-element in him. From the water-element he perceives taste. From the
fire-element represented by the eyes, he perceives forms, and from the
wind-element he obtains the perception of touch. Scent, touch, taste,
vision, and sound, are regarded as the (general) properties of every
mobile and immobile object. I shall first speak of the several kinds of
scent. They are agreeable, disagreeable, sweet, pungent, far-going,
varied, dry, indifferent. All these nine kinds of scent are founded upon
the earth-element. Light is seen by the eyes and touch through the
wind-element. Sound, touch, vision and taste are the properties of water.
I shall speak (in detail) now of the perception of taste. Listen to me.
High-souled Rishis have spoken of diverse kinds of taste. They are sweet,
saltish, bitter, astringent, sour, and pungent. These are the six kinds
of taste appertaining to the water-element. Light contributes to the
vision of form. Form is of diverse kinds. Short, tall, thick,
four-cornered, round, white, black, red, blue, yellow, reddish, hard,
bright, smooth, oily, soft, and terrible. These are the sixteen different
kinds of form which constitute the property of light or vision. The
property of the wind-element is touch. Touch is of