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History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c38.s1: Decline Of Scientific Spirit In India

History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c38.s1

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English

Decline Of Scientific Spirit In India

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In ancient India the useful arts and sciences, as distinguished from mere handicrafts, were cultivated by the higher classes. In the White Yajurveda and in the Taittiriya Brahmana, we meet with the names of various professions which throw light on the state of society of that period ; unfortunately a knowledge of these perished with the institution of the caste system in its most rigid form. Among the sixty four *kalas*, or arts and sciences, which are enumerated in the old work of Vatsayana, called Kamasutra ( circa 5th century A.D. ), occur the names of the following :

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*Subarnapariksha*—the examination and valuation of gold and gems.

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*Dhatuwada*—chemistry and metallurgy.

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*Maniragakarajnanam*—knowledge of the colouring of gems and jewels, as also of mines and queries.

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In the Sukranitisara or the 'Elements of Polity' by Sukracharya, we also read an account of the various *kalas*, e.g. :

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1. The art of piercing and incinerating the stones and the metals is known as a *kala*.

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2. A knowledge of the combinations of the metals and the herbs or plants is also regarded as a *kala*.

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3. The art of alloying and separating the metals is also known as a *kala*.

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4 The art of extracting alkali is likewise counted as a *kala*.

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In the science of Ayurveda there are altogether ten *kalas*.

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We also find that among the companions of the poet Vana (7th century A.D ) were an assayer and a metallurgist. Such terms as *lohavid* and *dhatuvid*, which occur repeatedly in Sanskrit literature, show that the metallurgists were held in high regard, and the specialized knowledge was in great demand.

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The art of dyeing was carried almost to perfection the fast colours resembling the Tyrean purple.

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In the Vedic age the *rishis* or priests did not form an exclusive caste of their own, but followed different professions according to their convenience or natural tastes. But all this was changed when the Brahmins reasserted their supremacy on the decline or the expulsion of Buddhism

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The caste system was established *de novo* in a more rigid form. The drift of Manu and of the later Puranas is in the direction of glorifying the priestly class, which set up most arrogant and outrageous pretensions. According to the Susruta, the dissection of dead bodies is a *sine qua non* to the student of surgery, and this high authority lays particular stress on knowledge gained from experiments and observations. But Manu would have none of it. The very touch of a corpse, according to Manu, is enough to bring contamination to the sacred person of a Brahmin. Thus we find that shortly after the time of Vagbhata, the handling of a lancet was discouraged and anatomy and surgery fell into disuse and became to all intents and purposes lost sciences to the Hindus. It was considered equally undignified to sweat away at the forge like a Cyclops. Hence, the cultivation of the *kalas* by the more refined classes of the society, of which we get a vivid picture in the ancient Sanskrit literature, has survived only in traditions since a very long time past.

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The arts thus being relegated to the low castes, and the professions made hereditary, a certain degree of fineness, delicacy and deftness in manipulation was no doubt secured, but this was accomplished at a terrible cost. The intellectual portion of the community being thus withdrawn from active participation in the arts, the *how* and *why* of phenomenon—the co-ordination of cause and effect—were lost sight of. The spirit of enquiry gradually died out among a nation, naturally prone to speculation and metaphysical subtleties, and India for once bade adieu to experimental and inductive sciences. Her soil was rendered morally unfit for the birth of a Boyle, a Descartes, or a Newton, and her very name was all but expunged from the map of the scientific world for a time.

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In this land of intellectual torpor and stagnation, the artisan classes, left very much to themselves and guided solely by their mother wit and sound common sense, which is their heritage in this world, kept up the old traditions. In their own way they have displayed marvellous skill in damescening, making ornamental designs on metals, carving on ivory, enamelling, weaving, dyeing, lace-making, goldsmith's and jeweller's works, etc But the zeal for the pursuit of truth disappeared, and the study of chemistry as a science suffered a serious set-back.

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As a matter of fact, science in India proceeded in a wrong way with the pursuit of alchemy and occultism, and, in consequence, came to stagnation and decay in the late Middle Ages. For, the same mechanism, it may reasonably be assumed, possibly works in the evolution of human mind, revealed by its civilization and culture, as in the organic evolution, proceeding through the combination of *adaptation, natural selection* and *mutation*. The last named gives a new and fruitful turn to the course of evolution, when it runs into a blind alley, leading either to an extinction or arrest. In the case of mental evolution there is, however, one difference; while in organic evolution the organism itself has no control over the mechanism, acting merely as an instrument, in the case of mental evolution, on the other hand, the mind takes an active part in the process, either co-operating with, or acting in antagonism to, the evolutionary urge or force Hence, the phenomenon of mutation assumes a greater significance in this case. In the mental sphere these mutants arise from the birth of geniuses, saints and seers, who contribute to the progress of human civilization. The condition of science in Europe also was no better in this period (Middle Ages) than what prevailed in India. But the birth of Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Boyle, Lavoisier and Dalton gave entirely a new turn to its course. Their ideas and thoughts imparted a fresh impetus to it. These could not, however, penetrate India until the advent and consolidation of the British rule towards the middle of the 19th century.

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