saMkhya - From the Ground Up - Part 1

All around us we find Gross Objects. These objects are perceived through our five senses (smell, taste, vision, touch and hearing).

Not all senses are used in the identification of each and every object; a sub-set of senses is sufficient. Based on empirical observations it has been observed that gross objects may be classified into 5 groups known as elements:
a. kShiti b. ap c. tejas d. marut and e. vyoman

kShiti - Objects which may be smelt, tasted, seen, felt and heard ex. earth
ap - Objects which may be tasted, seen, felt and heard ex. water
tejas - Objects which may be seen, felt and heard ex. fire
marut - Objects which may be felt and heard ex. wind
vyoman - Objects which may be heard

Each type of object is more subtle than the previous one.
Note: atom = tan-matra

kShiti-element = ap-element + smell-atom
ap-element = tejas-element + taste-atom
tejas-element = marut-element + vision-atom
marut-element = vyoman-element + texture-atom
vyoman-element = audio-atom

Atoms as a group can be classified into three sub-atomic particles (guNa):
a. sattva - Intelligence
b. rajas - Energy
c. tamas - Mass (or the addition of which makes things more gross)

Therefore,
smell-atom = taste-atom + tamas
taste-atom = vision-atom + tamas
vision-atom = texture-atom + tamas
texture-atom = audio-atom + tamas

bhUtAdi + rajas = audio-atom

mahat + f(tamas) = bhUtAdi
mahat + f(rajas) = rAjasika ahaMkAra
mahat + f(sattva) = vaikArika ahaMkAra