History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c39.s3.8

c39.s3.8

Akasa corresponds in some respects to the ether of the physicists, and in others to what may be called proto-atom (*protyle*) In one respect *akasa* is all pervasive and devoid of the property of impenetrability which characterises even the infra-atomic potential units (*tanmatras*) In another aspect, *akasa* is described as having originated out of the mass or *inertia* in *Prakriti* (*bhutadi*), when the latter became charged with the first potential vibration (the sound-potential). Vijnanabhikshu in the Yoga-Vartika boldly tackles the difficulty. *Akasa*, he explains, has two forms; original and derivative, non-atomic and atomic. The original *akasa* is the undifferentiated formless *tamas* (mass in *Prakriti*, matter rudiment—*bhutadi*) which is devoid of all potentials, and is merely the all-pervasive seat or vehicle of the ubiquitous original Energy (*rajas*). This *akasa* must not be confounded with vacuum, which is merely negative, though it must be conceived as all pervasive, occupying the same space as the various forms of gross matter, and, therefore, devoid of the property of impenetrability which characterises atomic matter But when the original equilibrium comes to an end, unequal aggregations form collocations in different groups and proportions of the three *gunas*. The transformation of Energy now begins,—working on a collocation of Mass (with Essence); it first gives rise to the sound-potential, and the atomic *akasa* (proto-atom, *protyle*) is but an integration of the original unit of mass charged with this vibration-potential This vibratory (or rather rotary) ether atom is integrated, or limited (*parichchinna*), and as such cannot occupy the same space with other (subsequently integrated) atoms But this proto-atomic integration of *akasa* is formed everywhere, and itself residing in the ubiquitous non-atomic *akasa* forms the universal medium in which air or gas atoms, light-and-heat-corpuscles, and other atoms move and float about.