The Concept of 36 tattva-s and tattvashodhana - Part VI

The citta, ahaMkAra, buddhi & manas are called the four antaHkaraNa-s which govern the thought and actions of the being. And the organs that facilitate the governance of thought and action are called as jJAnendriya or bodhakaraNa or sense-organs which receive the inputs and karmendriya or organs of action which facilitate action. The inputs that are received by these organs are called as tanmAtra or subtle elements which represent the panchabhUta, the main elements. 

These tattva-s are five each in numbers. 

The jJAnendriya-s are 

1. tvak – skin
2. cakShu-eyes 
3. shrotra-ears 
4. jihvA-tongue
5. ghrANa-nose

The karmendriya-s are 

1. vAk- which facilitates speech
2. pANi-hands which helps to accept and give things
3. pAda- which helps to move
4. pAyu-which helps to excrete or expel faeces 
5. upastha- which facilitates Ananda. 

Further the subtle elements or tanmAtra and their corresponding main elements constitute the remaining ten tattva-s namely :

1. shabdatattva or sound corresponding to AkAshatattva or ether received/assimilated by the shrotratattva or ears 
2. sparshatattva or touch corresponding to vAyutattva or air received/assimilated by the tvaktattva or skin 
3. rUpatattva or form corresponding to vahnitattva or fire received/assimilated by the cakShustattva or eyes 
4. rasatattva or taste corresponding salilatattva or water received/assimilated by jihvAtattva or tongue 
5. gandhatattva or smell corresponding to pRthivitattva or earth received/assimilated by ghrANa tattva or nose.

The 36 tattva-s as described here in constitute what is called as ‘vishvaM’ or ‘jagat’. All the created beings in this universe is made up of these 36 tattva-s only.