Vol. 2, Issue 4, Part B (2016)

Abstract
The concept of the panchmahabhoota (five gross elements) is a widely acclaimed theory of Indian Philosophy and Ayurveda, the traditional Indian science of medicine. This theory is the base of the Ayurveda model of health. The cause of disease is also attributed to the imbalance of these elements as they form the basic entities of the dosha, dhatu and mala. The shalakya tantra in Ayurveda deals with the diseases of the supraclavicular region of the body. The panchmahabhoota play a significant role in understanding the physiology, pathology and planning of the treatment in the diseases of this region. This paper decodes the panchmahabhoota with a special emphasis on the applied aspect of the same in the diseases studied under the shalakya tantra.