Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.22.23
Sarga· CreationDifferent Counts Group Elements Differently
“According to the calculation of sixteen elements, the only difference from the previous theory is that the soul is identified with the mind. If we think in terms of five physical elements, five senses, the mind, the individual soul and the Supreme Lord, there are thirteen elements.”
What the purport teaches
- In the calculation of sixteen elements, the soul is identified with the mind. This describes how that particular calculation groups them.
- The calculation of thirteen includes five physical elements, five senses, the mind, the individual soul and the Supreme Lord.
- In the theory of thirteen elements, aroma, taste, form, touch and sound are considered by-products of the interaction of the senses and physical matter.
Try this today
Write out the thirteen-element calculation, keeping the individual soul and the Supreme Lord as separate entries.
Ask yourself
How does noticing what each calculation groups together help me understand the different counts?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.