Are Panchabhutas mentioned in the Vedas?

Question

Fire, wind, water,sky, earth are Panchabhutas.

So are they mentioned and explained in the Vedas?

Answer 1

From the Anandavalli section of the Taittiriya Brahmana:

आकाशाद्वयुः । वायोरग्निः । अग्नेरापः । अद्भ्यः पृथिवी । पृथिव्या ओषधयः ।

From ether came air. From air came fire. From fire came water. From water came earth. From earth came plants.

Answer 2

Yes they are stated in Sri Rudram which is found in Krishna Yajurveda's Taittiriya Samhita in the 4th and the 7th chapters.

You will find salutations to the Panchabhutas in quite few places.

You can find the english translation of the entire Sri Rudram with meaning here.

Also stating from Taittiriya Upanishad:

Verse

हरिः ॐ। सह नाववतु। सह नौ भुनक्तु। सह वीर्यं करवावहै।तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु। मा विद्विषावहै।ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥ ॐ ब्रह्मविदाप्नोति परम्‌। तदेषाऽभ्युक्ता।सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं ब्रह्म। यो वेद निहितं गुहायां परमे व्योमन्‌।सोऽश्नुते सर्वान्‌ कामान् सह ब्रह्मणा विपश्चितेति॥ तस्माद्वा एतस्मादात्मन आकाशः संभूतः। आकाशाद्वायुः।वायोरग्निः। अग्नेरापः। अद्‌भ्यः पृथिवी।पृथिव्या ओषधयः। ओषधीभ्योऽन्नम्‌। अन्नात्पुरुषः।स वा एष पुरुषोऽन्न्नरसमयः।तस्येदमेव शिरः। अयं दक्षिणः पक्षः। अयमुत्तरः पक्षः। अयमात्मा। इदं पुच्छं प्रतिष्ठा।तदप्येष श्लोको भवति।

Meaning

OM. The knower of Brahman attaineth the Highest; for this is the verse that was declared of old, “Brahman is Truth, Brahman is Knowledge, Brahman is the Infinite, he that findeth Him hidden in the cavern heart of being; in the highest heaven of His creatures, lo he enjoyeth all desire and he abideth with the Eternal, even with that cognisant and understanding Spirit.” This is the Self, the Spirit, and from the Spirit ether was born; and from the ether, air; and from the air, fire; and from the fire, the waters; and from the waters, earth; and from the earth, herbs and plants; and from the herbs and plants, food; and from food man was born. Verily, man, this human being, is made of the essential substance of food. And this that we see is the head of him, and this is his right side and this is his left; and this is his spirit & the self of him; and this is his lower member whereon he resteth abidingly. Whereof this is the Scripture.