Cosmos; created world composed of the five elements. (Glossary for the Vahinis)
The world is described as Prapancha because it makes known these five attributes in creation. For the evolution of the Cosmos, the Pancha bhutas (the five elements - ether, air, fire, water and earth) are needed. To nourish the five elements, the Pancha Koshas (five sheaths) have to be developed. The sheaths have to be sustained by the Pancha pranas (five vital airs). The five vital airs are contained in the Avatar (Divine incarnation). They are: Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana and Samana (life breath, down-breath, side moving breath, upward breath and balanced breath). These five vital airs arise from the One that is their source. They originate by the Will of the Chaitanya (Omni-Self). There is nothing in the Universe without this Chaitanya (Divine principle). From the minutest particle in its most subtle form to the vastest in its amplitude, the Divine pervades the Universe. (SSS Vol.17, pp. 167-168)
Prapancha is the name we have given to the apparent world. It is called Prapancha as it is constituted by the Pancha bhutas (five elements),namely, earth, water, fire, air and ether. ‘Pra’ means to manifest, to blossom. Hence, Prapancha means the manifestation of not the five elements of not only the five elements, but also the five life principles, namely, Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana and Samana. They form the basis for the entire world. The principle of Brahmatatwa is present in all the five elements as the undercurrent. It is eternal and immortal. The term Brahma refers to the divine principle, which pervades the Pancha Bhuta, Pancha Koshas and Pancha Pranas. But man out of ignorance attributes a particular form to Brahma and offers his prayers. Names and forms are transient, Brahma tattva, which is the basis of all names and forms is the only permanent entity. Out our ignorance and limited understanding we confine such cosmos principle of Brahman to a tiny form and worship it. We should worship the cosmic form of the divine. Brahmanda (cosmos).is the very form of God. Brahman pervades the Anda, Pinda and Brahmanda. Anda is the combination of Padartha (matter) and Prana (life principle). Pinda is that which is born out of the mother’s womb. Ultimately, they become one with the Brahmanda.
Embodiments of Love!
Love is the basis for Brahmanda. Without Prema (love), there is neither Prakriti (nature) nor Prapancha (world). The world is sustained by the principle of love which is uniformly present in the five elements. You may worship divinity in a number of ways, but all your worship will prove futile, if you forget the principle of love.
The five elements are responsible for the sustenance of human life and the world at large. Everything will come to a standstill even if any one of the five elements is missing. We hear the sound with our ears. We see the world with our ears. We see the world with eyes. In this manner, we are able to experience the world through the five senses. They prove the existence of the world. Man has forgotten the divine principle of love and striving to attain ananda (bliss) through mean and worldly pursuits. It is said, Jantunam Nara Janma Durlabham (out of all living beings, human birth is the rarest). In fact, human being is essentially divine. ( DD on 26.02.2006, pp. 2-3)