Madhvaon Brahma Sūtra 2.4.21

From the (Garbha Upanishad) text, “ That which is hard (resists) is earth ; that which runs is water; that which is hot is fireflesh, etc., only consist (mainly) of earth ; not the whole body ; and the product (products) of water and fire should (also) be admitted as entering into the composition of the body according to scriptural state- ments. For the Kashayana Sruti says, “ As the so-called elements are really compounds, flesh, etc., in the body are necessarily composite products, because (all) this, (flesh etc.), is produced out of the composite earth, etc. So they call these elements the Bhutas, i.e., the produced." The Vayuprokta has the following : “ Everything (in the world) is a compound of the five elements; however, with reference to some one (predominant) element in particular, a certain product is spoken of as that of earth, etc., in the Yedic enquiries. A certain substance is called a product of earth from the property of resistance, or of water from paleness, or of fire from brilliancy. Accordingly is the statement in Sruti with regard to bones." If the body is not the product of one element, whence does the exclusive statement proceed ? In reply the Sutrakara says;