According to early Indian philosophers, what are the basic elements de

According to early Indian philosophers, what are the basic elements described in Pancha Tattva ?

Earth, Fire, Sky, Gas and Water
Air, Earth, Fire, Sky and Water
Gas, Land, Fire, Sky and Water
Air, Earth, Fire, Land and Water
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2021
The correct answer is B) Air, Earth, Fire, Sky and Water.
According to early Indian philosophical schools (like Samkhya) and traditional Indian medicine systems (like Ayurveda), the universe and everything in it, including the human body, are composed of five basic elements, known as Pancha Mahabhuta or Pancha Tattva. These elements are Prithvi (Earth), Apas (Water), Agni (Fire), Vayu (Air), and Akasha (Sky, Ether, or Space). The terms ‘Gas’ and ‘Land’ in options A, C, and D are not the traditional terms used for these fundamental elements in this philosophical context; ‘Air’ (Vayu) and ‘Earth’ (Prithvi) are the correct traditional terms.
These elements are not understood in the modern chemical sense but represent different states or qualities of matter and energy. Earth represents solidity, Water liquidity, Fire transformation/energy, Air gaseousness/movement, and Sky/Space represents emptiness or the medium in which everything exists.
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