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The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c5.s1: Section 1. Analysis of Motion

The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c5.s1

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Section 1. Analysis of Motion

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In his Bhâṣya¹ on the Vaiśeṣika¹ Aphorisms, written probably in the third or fourth century of the Christian era, if not earlier, Praśastapâda begins the Section on Motion (कर्मग्रन्थ) with the definition of *karma* (motion, *lit.* work) as the unconditional cause of conjunction and disjunction, *i.e.* of change of place in a particle (संयोगविभागनिरपेक्षकारणं). He regards *karma* (motion) as instantaneous (क्षणिक) in its simplest form, distinguishing it from *vega* (impressed motion, momentum), which is a persistent tendency, Sanskâra, and implies a series of motions. Accordingly in one and the same particle there can be only one motion (*karma*) at any given moment, since its change of place at that moment is one and definite (एकदा एकस्मिन् द्रव्ये एकमेव कर्म्म वर्तते। प्रशस्तपादभाष्य, कर्म्म पदार्थनिरूपणं). The supposition of two (instantaneous) motions in the same particle is superfluous. They may be so opposed as to neutralise each other, in which case the particle would be at rest. If they are not so opposed, and motion (*i.e.* an instantaneous change of place) follows, then, since this change of place is a definite change, one motion would be sufficient to account for it, and the hypothesis of two motions would be meaningless (अथ अविरुद्धकर्म्मद्दयसमावेशः तदा एकस्मादेव उपपत्तेः द्वितीयकल्पनावैय्यर्थम्—Praśastapâda). One and the same motion can effect only one particle, as the changes of place of different particles must be different (एकं कर्म्म न अनेकत्र वर्त्तते—*Ibid.*).

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¹ The system of transliteration adopted in Chapters II.–VI. differs from that adopted in Chapter I. and Chapter VII.

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Now motion is always marked by a certain direction (दिग्विजयिकयोरम्भकत्वमस्य विशेषः).

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(i) The successive motions of a particle may be in the same direction (rectilinear), *e.g.* (*a*) upward or downward vertical motion, as in throwing upwards or downwards in the case of objects moved by volition directly or indirectly (उत्क्षेपणं, अपक्षेपणं), or (*b*) other forms of rectilinear motion, contraction, dilation (आकुञ्चनं, प्रसारणं); or

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(ii) the directions of the successive motions may be different, as in curvilinear motion (यदनियतदिक्प्रदेशसंयोगविभागकारणं तद्गमनं), *e.g.* भ्रमण (rotatory motion), स्पन्दन (vibratory motion), etc. All these are varieties of Gamana (गमन, curvilinear motion). उत्क्षेपणादिशब्दैः अनवरुद्धानां भ्रमणपतनस्पन्दनादीनां अवरोधार्थं गमनग्रहणं कृतम्—*Ibid.*; *cf.* Śankara Miśra, गमनत्वं च जातिविशेषः भ्रमणरेचनस्यन्दनोर्द्ध्वज्वलननमनोन्नमनादिष्वपि. In another sense, all kinds of motion in material (inanimate) objects, whether rectilinear or curvilinear, are called Gamana (गमन).

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(एतत् पञ्चविधमपि कर्म्म शरीरावयवेषु च तत् सम्बद्धेषु तत् प्रत्ययं चासत्प्रत्ययं च । यत् अन्यत् अप्रत्ययमेव तेषु अन्येषु च तत् गमनमिति Praśastapâda, कर्म्मग्रन्थ) ।

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Single particles, then, may have a serial motion. When particles (अवयवाः) combine to form a body (अवयवी), they may move continuously in a straight line, in which case the body is said to move in that direction (अवयविक्रियाया यावदवयवक्रियानिबन्धनत्वात्, the action of a composite whole is determined by the action of the constituent parts taken together). But different particles may move in different directions, or again, the particles may have a curvilinear motion, and in such cases it appears as if different motions are impressed on the body, *e.g.* the falling leaf driven by the wind may have a rotatory or vibratory motion (भ्रमण, स्पन्दन) and a vertical downward motion (पतन) at the same time. Here each particle of the leaf taken separately has only one motion or change of place at the same moment, but from the point of view of the observer द्रष्टा, the particles have a rotatory or vibratory motion in one relation, and the leaf as a whole has a downward motion in another relation. The motion at any instant is really one, but for convenience of analysis we consider the rotatory change of place as separate from the change of place in the downward direction. एकस्मिन् कर्मणि युगपत् द्रष्टृणां भ्रमणपतनप्रवेषनप्रत्यया: कथं भवन्ति । अत्र ब्रूम अवयवावयविनो दिग्विश्लिष्टसंयोगविभागानां भेदात्—*Ibid.*

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