The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c8.t1: Chhândogya and Śankara
The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c8.t1
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Chhândogya and Śankara
c8.t1.1
It may be noted that the *Chhândogya Upaniṣad* classifies animals on the basis of their *vîja* (ovum or seed) as three-fold :—(1) *Aṇḍaja*, born of eggs; (2) *Jîvaja*, viviparous; and (3) *Udbijja*. Śankara explains that the *udvijja* animals arise from vegetable organisms (उद्भिन् स्थावरं ततो जातम् उद्भिज्जम्), which is also Charaka's view, as we have seen; but unlike Charaka, Śankara holds that the *svedaja* animals must be included partly under the oviparous, and partly under the *udvijja* (vegetable-born) class (अण्डजोद्भिज्जयोरेव यथासम्भवमन्तर्भावः—Chhândogya, Prapâthaka 6, part 3).
c8.t1.2
Evidently the idea is, that though vegetable organisms may pass off into animal, there cannot be generation without *vîja* (seed or ovum), and inorganic matter without *vîja* (seed or ovum) cannot give rise to animal life. Pâtanjali, in the *Mahâbhâṣya* (*circa* 150 B.C.), mentions the opposed view, which holds that not only animal organisms but also vegetable organisms, *e.g.* grasses, grow from inorganic matter. The Dûrvâ grass, for example, can grow from deposits of the hair of goats and cows, just as scorpions are seen to develop out of cow-dung. Pâtanjali notes the orthodox Sânkhya-Vedânta explanation that these are not cases of growth (or transformation) but merely of coming out (अपक्रामन्ति), कथं गोमयाद् वृश्चिको जायते गोलोमाविलोमेभ्यः दूर्वा जायन्ते इति अपक्रामन्ति ता वस्तुभ्यः—*Mahâbhâṣya*, 1–4–3.
Linked texts (1)
- Chāndogyopaniṣad — Sanskrit