The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c5.s2.7

c5.s2.7

(4) Certain motions, not due to material contact, of which the mechanical causes are unknown, and which may be ascribed to the universal final cause, Adṛiṣṭa (अदृष्ट), *e.g.* the first motion in atoms at the beginning of Creation, the upward motion of fiery particles or atoms, and the oblique motion of gaseous particles, *vâyu* (वायु), the movement of iron towards the magnet, capillary motion (अभिसर्पण) as of liquid particles from the root to the stem of a plant. The upward motions (चारोहण) of water-particles in evaporation and in boiling do not require the hypothesis of Adṛiṣṭa, as these are caused by the pressure of heat-corpuscles (तेजः परमाणु) and the contact with air-particles (नोदनापीड़नात् संयुक्तसंयोगाच्च—Vaiśeṣika Sûtra, Chap. V., Âhnika 2).