The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c5.s3.t1: The Concept of Vega (वेगाख्यसंस्कार)
The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c5.s3.t1
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The Concept of Vega (वेगाख्यसंस्कार)
c5.s3.t1.1
A motion (*karma*) being conceived as a change of place in a particle is held to be incapable of producing another motion; but the pressure, impact, or other force which produces the first motion produces through that motion a *sanskâra* or persistent tendency to motion (Vega), which is the cause of continued motion in a straight line, *i.e.* in the direction of the first motion (नियतदिक्रिया प्रबन्धहेतुः यद्दिगाभिमुख्येन क्रियावेगो जन्यते तद्दिशभिमुख्येनैव क्रियासन्तानस्य हेतुरिति—श्रीधर, न्याय-कन्दली, संस्कार-निरूपणम्).
c5.s3.t1.2
The Vaiśeṣikas accept one *sanskâra* (impressed motion, momentum) lasting till the cessation of the motion. Udyotakara and other writers of the Nyâya school suppose a series of *sanskâras*, each generating the one that succeeds it. (संस्कारेण उत्तरोत्तरकर्म्मसन्तानो जायते अनन्योत्तरसंयोगेन कर्म्मणि नष्टे संस्कारेण कर्म्मान्तरजननात् एक एव संस्कारः कर्म्मसन्तानजनकः नतु कर्म्मसन्तानवत् संस्कारसन्तानोऽपि अभ्युपगन्तुमुचितः—शङ्करमिश्र।) It will be seen that the Nyâya view is adequate to explain acceleration, which it logically implies. The force of *sanskâra* (शक्ति) diminishes by doing work (कार्य्यकरणात्) against a counteracting force, and when the *sanskâra* is in this way entirely destroyed, the moving body comes to rest (संस्कारो यावत्पतनमनुवर्त्तते। यथा यथा चास्य कार्य्यकरणात् शक्तिः क्षीयते तथा तथा कार्य्यमन्दतरतमादि-भेदभिन्नमुपजायते—श्रीधर—न्याय-कन्दली-कर्म्मग्रन्थ). Vega, it will be seen, corresponds to inertia in some respects, and to momentum (impressed motion) in others. This is the nearest approach to Newton's First Law of Motion in the Vaiśeṣika theory of motion.
c5.s3.t1.3
Vega (impressed motion), or this tendency to move on in a straight line, is counteracted by contact with tangible objects (स्पर्शवद्द्रव्यसंयोग), *e.g.* by impact or friction, including friction with the still atmosphere (स्तिमितवायु), as in the case of the arrow.
c5.s3.t1.4
Vega (momentum) produces work in opposition to the resisting force, and thereby becomes weaker and weaker (मन्दतर मन्दतम) until it comes to an end (तत्र वेगो मूर्त्तिमत्सु पञ्चसु द्रव्येषु निमित्तविशेषापेक्षात् कर्म्मणो जायते, नियत-दिक्-क्रिया-प्रबन्धहेतुः स्पर्शवद्द्रव्यसंयोग-विशेषविरोधी Praśastapâda, संस्कार-निरूपणम्—मन्दस्तु वेगः स्पर्शवद्द्रव्यसंयोगमात्रेण विनश्यति यथा अतिदूरगतस्य इषोः स्तिमितवायु-प्रतिबद्धस्य—श्रीधर, संस्कारनिरूपणम्).
c5.s3.t1.5
*Causes of Pressure* (नोदन) *and of Impact* (अभिघात).
c5.s3.t1.6
Pressure is produced by contact acting in conjunction with Vega (impressed motion), elasticity, gravity, fluidity or volition, *e.g.* the Vega of the wind produces pressure (नोदन) on the grass, that of a current of water on the reed, that of the bow-string on the arrow. Gravity with contact produces pressure, as when the earth sinks under a heavy load.
c5.s3.t1.7
Impact is produced by contact with a body possessing Vega (impressed motion) where the contact is instantly followed by disjunction (or rebounding). If the contact continues, the result is pressure (नोदन). (तत्र नोदन गुरुत्व-द्रवत्व-वेग-प्रयत्नान् समस्त-व्यस्तान् अपेक्षामानः यः संयोग-विशेषः नोदनं अविभाग-हेतुः एकस्य कर्म्मणः कारणं तस्मात् चतुर्षु अपि महाभूतेषु कर्म्म भवति . . . . . . वेगापेक्षो यः संयोग-विशेषः विभागहेतुः एकस्य कर्म्मणः कारणं स अभिघात तस्मादपि चतुर्षु-महाभूतेषु कर्म्म भवति—प्रशस्तपाद-भाष्य।)
c5.s3.t1.8
It is expressly noted that the four elements, earth, water, air, and fire, are all subject to the forces of pressure and impact. Pressure and impact may be of different degrees (तीव्रमन्दादिभेद). So also Vega (impressed motion, momentum).
c5.s3.t1.9
*Illustrations of Combination of Forces.*
c5.s3.t1.10
(1) Pressure acting concurrently with impressed motion or Vega, as when the moving hand possessing Vega throws the quoit or a projectile. (पाणिमुक्तेषु गमनविधिः) (ततः संस्कारनोदनाभ्यां तावत् कर्माणि भवन्ति यावत् हस्ततोमर-विभाग इति—प्रशस्तपादभाष्य।)
c5.s3.t1.11
Similarly, in the case of the bow-string impelling the arrow, or the potter’s wheel impelled by the rod, the first motion is due to pressure (नोदन), and results in a *sanskâra* (persistent tendency to motion, impressed motion or momentum), but the subsequent motions are produced by the pressure acting concurrently with the *sanskâra* (impressed motion). (तस्मात् संस्कारात् नोदन-सहायात् तावत् कर्माणि भवन्ति यावत् इषुज्या-विभागः—प्रशस्त-पाद, कर्माग्रन्थ—प्रथमं चक्रावयविनि दण्डसंयोगात् कर्म्म उत्पद्यते उत्तरोत्तराणि कर्माणि अभिघातात् कर्मजात् संस्कारात् च भवन्ति दण्डविगमे तु चक्रं तदवयवेषु च संस्कारादेव केवलात्। श्रीधर, न्याय-कन्दलो, कर्माग्रन्थ।)
c5.s3.t1.12
(2) Impact (अभिघात) with impressed motion (संस्कार), as when the mortar thrown by the hand rebounds after striking the pestle (संस्कारापेक्षात् अभिघातात् मुसले उत्पतन-कर्म—प्रशस्तपाद भाष्य).
c5.s3.t1.13
(3) Pressure (नोदन) acting concurrently with impact (अभिघात), as when the mud sinks when we strike against the ground with the feet. Here, if the feet be not in contact with the mud, but only with the surrounding ground, there is transmitted force (संयुक्तसंयोग).
c5.s3.t1.14
(पदादिभिर्नुद्यमानायामभिहन्यमानायां वा पंकाख्यायां पृथिव्यां यत् संयो-गोन्नोदनाभिघातयोरन्यतरापेक्षो उभयापेक्षो वा स संयुक्तसंयोगः। तस्मादपि पृथिव्यादिषु कर्म्म भवति।—Praśastapâda.)
c5.s3.t1.15
(4) Gravity concurrently with *sanskâra* or persistent tendency, as in the case of a falling body in the second and following instants. Also the case of a stone thrown against the mud, where gravity (the weight of the stone) combines with the Vega of the stone to produce motion in the mud (Praśastapâda). (आद्यं कर्म्म गुरुत्वात् भवति। तेन कर्म्मणा संस्कारः क्रियते तदनन्तरं उत्तरकर्म्माणि गुरुत्वसंस्काराभ्यां जायते द्वयोरपि प्रत्येकं अन्यत्र सामर्थ्यावधारणात्—श्रीधर, न्याय-कन्दली, कर्म्मग्रन्थे साप्रत्यय-कर्म्मणिरूपणम्।) This case will be further noticed below.
c5.s3.t1.16
Udyotakara, the commentator on the Nyâya-Bhâṣya, states that a heavier body falls to the ground with greater Vega (and velocity) than one that is lighter. Udyotakara also holds, and Śrîdhara agrees with him, that the gravity (गुरुत्व) of a body (अवयवी) as a whole composed of particles (अवयवाः) is not the same as the sum of the gravities of the particles. There is a difference in amount which is, however, so small as to be imperceptible. The concept of mass in the New Mechanics of Lorenz may lend some countenance to this curious metaphysical speculation. (Śrîdhara, गुणग्रन्थ, गुरुत्वनिरूपणम्।)
c5.s3.t1.17
(5) Volition acting concurrently with gravity, as in lifting up the hand. This is accompanied by transmission when an object, *e.g.* the quoit, is lifted by the hand.
c5.s3.t1.18
Sanskâra (impressed motion, momentum), with or without pressure (नोदन) or impact (अभिघात), may be transmitted (दृढ़संयुक्तस्य अवयवस्य उत्तरोत्तरकर्म्माणि संस्कारात् नोदनाच्च अपरेषां संस्कारात् संयुक्तसंयोगाच्च।—Śrîdhara).
Linked texts (1)
- Padārthadharmasaṅgraha — Praśastapāda, Sanskrit