We are taught to think of water in scientific terms: a molecule made of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. H₂O. It is a chemical compound, a resource, a liquid that quenches thirst and sustains life. But this modern, clinical definition, while accurate, can obscure a much deeper, more integrated understanding of what water truly is. Ancient philosophical traditions, operating from a different set of first principles, saw water not as just a substance, but as a fundamental pillar of reality itself—a cosmic element with surprising and profound properties. This article will explore five counterintuitive ideas about water, drawn from a deep philosophical classification system, that reveal a substance far more mysterious and interconnected than we ever imagined.  

1. Water Is Both Eternal and Temporary  

In our daily lives, water seems profoundly temporary. It flows, evaporates, freezes, and melts. A puddle dries up; a glass of water is drunk and gone. This ancient framework, however, proposes a startling duality. It classifies water ( Jal ) into two distinct forms: 

Nitya (नित्य): This is the eternal, permanent, and unchangeable form of water. It exists at the most fundamental level of reality, as atoms (परमाणुरूप) that cannot be created or destroyed.  

Anitya (अनित्य): This is the non-eternal, transient form of water that we actually experience. Every river, ocean, raindrop, and glass of water is considered a product or an effect (कार्यरूप) of the eternal atoms, a temporary manifestation. The significance of this idea is immense. It reframes water not merely as a consumable resource, but as a timeless element of the cosmos  

that temporarily takes on the forms we see around us and within us. The water in your body is a fleeting expression of something eternal.  

2. Your Sense of Taste Is a Form of Water  

The philosophy goes further, weaving water into the very fabric of our perception. The transient, worldly form of water ( Anitya ) is said to manifest in three distinct ways: as a body ( Sharir, said to be a celestial, non-womb-born form existing in the realm of the water deity Varuna), as an object ( Vishay ) like a river or ocean, and as a sense organ ( Indriya ). This last category contains a mind-bending claim: the sense organ for taste—the tongue (रसग्राहक रसेंद्रिय)—is considered to be a structure composed predominantly of the water element. This isn't just a metaphor. It proposes a direct, elemental link between a substance (water), its primary quality (taste), and the very faculty we use to perceive it. The universe, in this view, is not a collection of separate objects where a perceiver observes something different from itself. Instead, the perceiver and the perceived are literally made of the same fundamental stuff, creating an elegant and profound unity between our senses and the world they sense.  

3. Pure Water's True Taste Isn't Neutral—It's Sweet  

Ask anyone about the taste of pure water, and they will likely say it has no taste. We define it by a lack of flavour. This ancient perspective directly challenges that notion. It asserts that in its purest state, water has three inherent sensory properties. Its essential form ( rup ) is "non-luminous white" ( abhaskar shukla ), its essential touch ( sparsh ) is cold ( sheet ), and its inherent, essential taste ( ras ) is sweet ( madhur ). Any other taste, colour, or temperature we perceive in water is considered the result of impurities or admixtures. This idea asks us to contemplate the true nature of a substance, separate from how we might experience it in an altered state. It frames "sweetness" and "coldness" not just as flavours or temperatures, but as water's innate, life-sustaining essence—simultaneously nourishing and refreshing, soothing and life-giving.  

4. Water Exists in Four Distinct Cosmic Layers  

While we tend to think of water as a terrestrial substance—found in oceans, lakes, and under the ground—this system presents a far grander, cosmic map. It classifies water into four distinct layers that permeate the universe, connecting the heavens, the atmosphere, the earth, and the underworld.  

Ambha (अम्भ): Water existing in the space above the sun's sphere.  

• Marichi (मरीचि): Water existing between the sun's sphere and the Earth.  
• Mar (मर): Water existing on the surface of the Earth.  
• Aap (आप): Water existing below the surface of the Earth. This framework elevates water from a simple liquid into a universal medium. It is not just in our world; it structures the cosmos itself, existing in different states and realms, from the highest celestial spheres to the depths beneath our feet.  

5. The Hidden Superpower of Water is "Stickiness" 

What allows you to form a ball of dough? What enables soil to clump together after a rain? This philosophy identifies a unique and essential quality in water called Sneha (स्नेह), a term that translates to viscosity, cohesion, or "stickiness."This isn't just a general property; it is described as the specific quality responsible for binding separate, fine particles together. The source provides a perfect, tangible example: Sneha is the reason that powders like flour (पीठ) or soil (माती) can be formed into a cohesive lump or paste (पिंडीभाव) when mixed with water. Without this inherent "stickiness," these particles would simply remain separate. This ancient concept brilliantly pinpoints a fundamental property of water—its cohesive and adhesive forces—that is crucial for everything from baking bread to the very formation of the ground we walk on. 

Conclusion: A Deeper Current  

 Disclaimer: Translation with fine analysis of my handwritten notes, thanks, Sai. This blog is only for members and only for knowledge. Always take treatment from a doctor.  

 Omsairam Ok  Shradha Saburi