(2) Mathsyam: Mathsyam, means fish. Fish is a symbol of the mind. This fish is to be retrieved from the waters of Yamuna and Ganges and preserved in the reservoir of Saraswathi to obtain Divine knowledge and happiness. Hindu mythology speaks of god incarnating as a fish to save mankind and St. Augustian says that Jesus the son of God is a fish that lives in the midst of waters.

There is also a reference in the Holy Quran of a journey, by water undertaken by Moses in quest of knowledge to the confluence of two rivers. Half way Moses discovered that the fish which he brought for food had escaped in the river and he had to return to the starting point where he met a master who took him as a disciple. Prophet Mohamed taught spiritual truths in parables. The fish in the parable obviously is the mind which eluded the grasp of Moses.

(3) Mamsam: Mamsam means flesh which covers the bone frame work of the Temple in which god resides. This temple is verily our body, Astinapur (City built of bones) where the forces of good live in juxtaposition with the forces of bad and where the forces of good ultimately overcome the forces of bad with the grace of God. The great Hindu epic 'Mahabharatha' is an allegory of the strife between good and bad forces within us wherein by the grace of God described as Krishna, the forces of good destroy the forces of bad. In the Epic, the City of Astinapur is delineated as Hastinapur. As fish is the symbol of the mind, flesh is the symbol of the body it has to be well preserved on the principle of a healthy mind in a healthy body. The flesh is not meant for eating. The principle to be followed is ahimsa, non-killing even for food. Saint Paul has endorsed this when he preached that "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine."

(4) Madhyam: "Madhyam masthaka sambutham" is a thanthric version which means that madhyam is produced from midbrow. This is the nector of Divine grace resulting from the concentration of the mind at the heart centre. The yogi gets into a state of Brahmanandam intoxicated with the nectar of Divine grace. Sufis call this as a state of musth. This is symbolically represented by the nectar pot held in the curve of the trunks of Ganesha images with trunks turning right or hanging down straight.

(5) Maithunam: This is a metaphor indicating the merger of the mind with soul which is the end and aim of the sadhaka. This merger is analogous to the merger of sakti with Shiva. Maithunam. In the Panchamakaram concept is not sexual union.