Fundamental Priniples (mula tattva)

When we say "Everything is Consciousness" it is very clear that Consciousness is the basic principle. It is the principle of cognition that makes one aware of the 'Self', as well as, 'an other'; in fact, the Self itself is Consciousness that is aware of its Self and there is 'one Self' only and nothing else besides it! Hence everything is Consciousness itself and its own power cognition. What one (re)recognizes as 'an other', is its self, a manifest form of its own, by its own power of cognition. This understanding takes us to Brahman. Brahman is Consciousness; everything is brahman and what all is seen as 'an other' is the manifest form, a cognitive power of Consciousness, Brahman. Shuddha Chaitanya-prajnya.

  Brahman first manifests as Space (Akasha); From Akasha (Space) comes out everything; rather, whatever manifests as brahman appears in the Space (Akasha).  Akasha is also said to be brahman. What all manifests is accommodated in space (akasha). The first to manifest from Shuddha chaitanya is Mind (manas), Intellect (buddhi), ego (ahankara) and Thoughts and ideas that emanate from a disturbed mind (chitta) and it is Mano-vikalpa, chitta-vibhrama that creates the objective world of Illusion (maya).

    The five great elements, pancha mahabhuta, and their tanmatras that manifest in the Space are:

From Sound (Shabdha) comes Akasha (Space) and in Space moves the power of feeling, sparsh,carried by Air (vayu); sparsh is the tanmatra of vayu while sound or shabdha is the tanmatra of space. This feeble shabdha can be heard as fine waves of sound like OM (in anahata dhvani).

   Then comes the Fire (agni) from Form (rupa), its tanmatra. In other words what all appears as some form or the other (rupa) comes in the light of the the Fire. Rupa is thus the tanmatra of agni. From Fire comes the tanmatra of rasa or swada that manifests as Water (jal/Aps). The Earth is said to be the manifest form of Water and its tanmatra is smell (gandha). Each of the subtle aspect of the element is called the tanmatra and these tanmatra create the organs of senses in the Jiva to experience the creation!

  All these together go to make 25 elements excluding brahman. Another ten aspects of brahman, the powers of creation, sustenance, dissolution, appear and disappear (tirobhava), as well as, anugraha are added to these. All these thirty aspects are hidden in the alphabets!

   Thus one undifferentiated aspect of pure Consciousness called brahman creates a multitude aspects of its own manifest from is called 'the  (sansar/prapancha/ that can be grasped by the five senses) 'objective phenomenal world'; This world begins with the vibration of chitta (Consciousness) and disappears with the equilibrium of chaitanya. This is the true nature of our existence.
  Since the same principle governs the creation at all the three levels, viz brahmanda (macro), pindanda (meso), and the andanda (cell/micro) all these principles repeat at every level and the structure is the same! The jiva may at best acquire some more qualities (gunas). However, the creation manifests from brahman, the undifferentiated and again merges in brahman at the end. This projection and withdrawal of the phenomenal world is thus limited by time (kaala/niyati/destiny), space and causation; the effect is inherent quality of the cause and the cause is brahman for all practical purposes. 

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