महाभूतानि पञ्चैव भूरापोऽग्निर्मरुन्नभ: । तन्मात्राणि च तावन्ति गन्धादीनि मतानि मे ॥ १२ ॥
maha-bhutani pancaiva bhur apo ’gnir marun nabhah tan-matrani ca tavanti gandhadini matani me
- maha-bhutani
- the gross elements
- panca
- five
- eva
- exactly
- bhuh
- earth
- apah
- water
- agnih
- fire
- marut
- air
- nabhah
- ether
- tat-matrani
- the subtle elements
- ca
- also
- tavanti
- so many
- gandha-adini
- smell and so on (taste, color, touch and sound)
- matani
- considered
- me
- by Me.
There are five gross elements, namely earth, water, fire, air and ether. There are also five subtle elements: smell, taste, color, touch and sound.