A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century A.D. v2.c34.312

v2.c34.312

The four kinds of Atoms are Earth, Ap, Tejas and Vayu atoms, possessed of characteristic mass, numerical unit, weight, fluidity (or its opposite), viscosity (or its opposite), velocity (or quantity of impressed motion—Vega); also characteristic potential colour, taste, smell or touch, not produced by the chemical operation of heat (पाकज-रूपरसगन्धस्पर्शपरिमाणत्वक-प्यत्व-गुरुत्वद्रवत्वस्नेहवेगाः). A'kasa has no atomic structure (निरवयव), and is absolutely inert (निष्क्रिय), being posited only as the substratum of sound, which is supposed to travel wave-like in the manifesting medium or vehicle of Vayu (air). Only the other four Bhutas unite (or disunite) in atomic or molecular forms. The orthodox view is that, the presence of Earth-atoms is necessary whenever chemical transformation under the operation of heat (पाकजोत्पत्ति) takes place.