Verse 1.76 [Wind (vāyu) after Ākāśa]

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

आकाशात् तु विकुर्वाणात् सर्वगन्धवहः शुचिः ।
बलवाञ्जायते वायुः स वै स्पर्शगुणो मतः ॥ ७६ ॥

ākāśāt tu vikurvāṇāt sarvagandhavahaḥ śuciḥ |
balavāñjāyate vāyuḥ sa vai sparśaguṇo mataḥ || 76 ||

After Ākāśa, from out of the same evolvent [‘Mind’], there comes into existence the pure and potent Wind, the vehicle of all odours; and it is held to be endowed with the quality of Touch.—(76)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

Though the creation of the ‘Principles’ has been already described, it is stated again for the purpose of pointing out the details not set forth before.

Vikurute, ‘evolves,’—i.e., being impelled, by Brahmā, it brings about creation in a particular manner;—from out of the ‘Mind’ (i.e., the Great Principle of Intelligence), thus propelled (to modification) is produced Ākāśa; and this Ākāśa possesses the quality known as ‘Sound ‘Quality’ is that which subsists (in a substance); and the substratum of the quality of Sound is Ākāśa, in the sense that no Sound is possible apart from Ākāśa.—(75)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

Medhātithi forces the Sāṅkhya doctrine on Manu, whose words clearly favour the Vaiśeṣika view.

The words clearly mean ‘From out of Ākāśa, undergoing modifications, proceeds Vāyu.’ But Medhātithi construes them to mean—‘After Ākāśa—(from out of Mahat) which undergoes modifications—proceeds Vāyu &c.,’—in order to make it agree with the Sāṅkhya doctrine that Vāyu, like every other elementary substance, proceeds from Mahat.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

See Comparative notes for Verse 1.75 (Ākāśa produced out of ‘Mind’).