Text 39: Of Air

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Text 39:

वायुत्वाभिसम्बन्धाद्वायुः | स्पर्शसङ्ख्यापरिमाणपृथक्त्वसम्योगविभागपरत्वापरत्वसंस्कारवान् | स्पर्शोऽस्यानुष्णाशीतत्वे सत्यपाकजः | गुणविनिवेशात् सिद्धः | अरूपिष्वचाक्षुषवचनात् सप्त सङ्ख्यादयः | तृणकर्मवचनात् संस्कारः | स चायं द्विविधोऽणुकार्यभावात् | तत्र कार्यलक्षणश्चतुर्विधः शरीरमिन्द्रियं विषयः प्राण इति | तत्रायोनिजमेव शरीरं मरुताम् लोके पार्थिवावयवोपष्टम्भाच्चोपभोगसमर्थम् | इन्द्रियं सर्वप्राणिनां स्पर्शोपलम्भकं पृथिव्याद्यनभिभूतैर्वाय्ववयवैरारब्धं सर्वशरीरव्यापि त्वगिन्द्रियम् | विषयस्तूपलभ्यमानस्पर्शाधिष्ठानभूतः स्पर्शशब्दधृतिकम्पलिङ्गस्तिर्यग्गमनस्वभावो मेघादिप्रेरणधारणादिसमर्थः | तस्याप्रत्यक्षस्यापि नानात्वं सम्मूर्च्छनेनानुमीयते | सम्मूर्च्छनं पुनः समानजवयोर्वाय्वोर्विरुद्धदिक्क्रिययोः सन्निपातः सोऽपि सावयविनोर्वाय्वोरूर्ध्वगमनेनानुमीयते तदपि तृणादिगमनेनेति | प्राणोऽन्तःसेरीरे रसमलधातूनां प्रेरणादिहेतुरेकः सन् क्रियाभेदादपानादिसंज्ञाम् लभते ॥ ३९ ॥

vāyutvābhisambandhādvāyuḥ | sparśasaṅkhyāparimāṇapṛthaktvasamyogavibhāgaparatvāparatvasaṃskāravān | sparśo'syānuṣṇāśītatve satyapākajaḥ | guṇaviniveśāt siddhaḥ | arūpiṣvacākṣuṣavacanāt sapta saṅkhyādayaḥ | tṛṇakarmavacanāt saṃskāraḥ | sa cāyaṃ dvividho'ṇukāryabhāvāt | tatra kāryalakṣaṇaścaturvidhaḥ śarīramindriyaṃ viṣayaḥ prāṇa iti | tatrāyonijameva śarīraṃ marutām loke pārthivāvayavopaṣṭambhāccopabhogasamartham | indriyaṃ sarvaprāṇināṃ sparśopalambhakaṃ pṛthivyādyanabhibhūtairvāyvavayavairārabdhaṃ sarvaśarīravyāpi tvagindriyam | viṣayastūpalabhyamānasparśādhiṣṭhānabhūtaḥ sparśaśabdadhṛtikampaliṅgastiryaggamanasvabhāvo meghādipreraṇadhāraṇādisamarthaḥ | tasyāpratyakṣasyāpi nānātvaṃ sammūrcchanenānumīyate | sammūrcchanaṃ punaḥ samānajavayorvāyvorviruddhadikkriyayoḥ sannipātaḥ so'pi sāvayavinorvāyvorūrdhvagamanenānumīyate tadapi tṛṇādigamaneneti | prāṇo'ntaḥserīre rasamaladhātūnāṃ preraṇādiheturekaḥ san kriyābhedādapānādisaṃjñām labhate || 39 ||

Text (39):—Air is that which belongs to the class ‘Air.’ It has the following qualities: Touch, Number, Dimension, Isolation, Conjunction, Disjunction, Proximity, Distance and Faculty.

The touch of Air is neither warm nor cool, and is not due to ‘baking.’ This is indicated by the sūtra which lays down Touch as the quality of Air.

The existence of the seven qualities, beginning with number, in the colourless Air is indicated by the declaration in the sūtra that ‘of colourless substances the number and other qualities are not visible’—The existence of faculty in Air is indicated by the mention (in the sūtrā) of the shaking of grasses.being due to the contact of Air.)—(III-i-4; IV-i-12; V-i-14.)

Air also is of two kinds; in the shape of atoms and their products. The Products are fourfold, in the shape of the Body, the Sense-organ, the Object and Breath.—(IV-i-1 to 5; II-i-11 to 13; IV-ii-1; VII-i-20, 21.)

The Airy Body is not born from the womb, and is known to exist in the region of the Maruts; it is made capable of experiencing sensations by reason of the admixture of Earth-particles.—(VIII-ii-6.)

The Airy Sense-organ pervading all over the body, is that of Touch, which enables all living beings to feel touch. Is is made up of Air-molecules exclusively, and is free from the molecules of all other substances.—II-i-9, 10, 16.)

The Airy Object is that which is actually perceived as Air, the substratum of all Touch; its existence is indicated by Touch, Sound, Steadiness and Shaking. It moves horizontally, and is capable of moving and holding the clouds and other things.

Though Air is not visible, yet its numerousness is inferred from the collapse of winds,—this collapse being due to the collision of two contrary winds blowing with equal velocity; this collision is inferred from the upward motion of Air,—which upward motion again is inferred from the fact of tufts of grass and other things being seen to rise in the Air (whenever there is such a collision).—(IV-i-17; II-i-14, 5.)

Breath is the Air in the body; it senes the purpose of moving about the various fluids, secretions and other materials in the body. This Air in the body comes to be known as ‘Prāṇa’, ‘Apāna‘, ‘Samāna’, ‘Udāna’ and ‘Vyāna’, on account of its various functions (of moving up, down &c.)

Commentary: The Nyāyakandalī of Śrīdhara.

(English rendering of Śrīdhara’s commentary called Nyāyakandalī or Nyāyakaṇḍalī from the 10th century)

Having dealt with the three visible Substances—Earth, Water and Fire—the author now deals with Air, specially as he has been treating of such Substances as are both eternal and non-eternal. &c. &c. &c.

The Touch of Earth is due to the baking of the atom; and in the products it is due to the touch produced iu the atom. The touch of Air on the other band is not due to any baking; and it is this that constitutes the difference between the touch of the two Substances; and the fact of the Touch of Air being neither warm nor cool differentiates that Touch from the Touch of Water and Fire.

The existence of Touch in Air is pointed ou t by the sūtra— ‘Air has Touch,’ in the second Adhyāya. Then again, we have a Sūtra pointing out that the substances devoid of colour have their number &c. invisible; and this indicates the existence in Air of the seven qualities beginning with ‘Number.’ For if such existence were not meant to be indicated, then the mere mention of such invisible qualities would be useless. Then we have the sūtra that the shaking of grass is due to the contact of Air,—which shows that there is Faculty, (i.e. of velocity or speed) in Air; for the conjunction of a Substance without speed is never found to give rise to any action.

‘That Air’—the word ‘That’ (sa) points to something spoken of before and subsequently recalled to the mind—after which it comes to be referred to by ‘this,’ ‘ayam’ The particle ‘ca’ indicates that it is not Earth, Water and Fire only that are of two kinds, but Air also.

The Airy Product is found in the shape of the Body, the Sense-organ, the Object and the Breath. Of these, the author pointer out the Body in its generic form:—The Airy body is such as is never born of the womb; and it is not like the Earth-body, which is both womb-born and non-womb-born. The region where these Airy bodies are found is that of the Maruts. The Airy body becomes capable of experiences, by reason of the admix-ture of Earth-particles which, coming into contact with the Air molecules, tends to solidify them into a conglomerate whole.

The Sense-organ is that which leads to the experiencing of Touch by all living beings and this organ is made of Air-molecules, independently of all contact with Earth-particles; and thus being produced in a manner peculiar to itself, different from that of the rest of the Body, it becomes an organ of perception. The existence of this organ is known from the feeling of Touch that we have. And the fact of its being Airy is proved by the fact of its manifesting Touch alone from among the qualities of colour &c.—e.g. we find in the case of the Air that renders perceptible coolness of the water on our body. This organ exists all over the body, as is shown by the fact of touch being felt all over the body. The organ is called ‘Tvak’ (‘skin’) as it is found to exist in the skin, the name of the container being applied to the contained.

To this name some people object as follows: “The Bodily position of all sense-organs is found to be pervaded over by skin; for as a matter of fact we find that where there is skin there alone are colour &c. perceived, and not otherwise; and hence the name of ‘skin’ should apply to all the organs, and not to the organ of Touch alone.”

This is not right; as in that case no blindness &c. would be possible; and then, if you were to admit of a diversity of potencies as due to the particular substratum of each, apart from the common element of the skin, the blindness being held to be a cessation of that potency, then that would amount to an admission of a diversity of the sense-organs themselves.

The Airy object is that which is the substratum of the feeling of Touch perceived by us. The existence of the object is proved by Sense-perception.

As an example of this sense-perception some people point to the direct cognition that we have through the tactile organ, of the blowing of Air. Burt that is not right, as in all direct perception that we have through the Tactile organ, it is only Touch that is felt, and nothing else. As for the cognition of the blowing of Air, it is got at by means of Inference, which through the force of habit, appears even in the absence of any remembrance of Invariable Concomitance and other factors necessary in the Inferential process; just we perceive apparently by the eye (though really infer) the shaking of trees &c. In the perception of the difference in the feeling of coolness and warmth, the recognition of Air that we have proceeds from an Inferential process which leads to a recognition of the Substance (Air) that brings up the Substratum of the Touch in question; and as for the Tactile organ, that cannot give us any idea except that of the feelings of coolness and warmth. The Inferential reasoning—that ‘Air’ is perceptible by Touch, because it is the substratum of the Touch that is perceived, like the jar—is set aside by the actual non-perception of the Air; just like the Inference that ‘the hare has horns because it is an animal.’ As a matter of fact, we find, in the case of such substances as the jar and the like, that all cases of the tactile perceptibility of substances are cases also of visual perceptibility; and we also find that Air is not visible to the eye; consequently from this we could safely infer the absence of tactile perceptibility in it.

The non-perceptibility of Air having been thus established, the Author now proceeds to adduce an inferential argument to prove its existence—Its existence is indicated by &c., When we feel a touch without perceiving any colour, or taste &c., we at once conclude that it must have some substratum of its own, because it is a touch, like any other touch; nor could it have the Earth for its substratum, because it is not accompanied by colour, (while Earth is never without colour). It might be urged that even in the case of touch, there exists some colour, though it is not manifested. But that would not be right; because the perceived touch of the Earth is invariably found to be accompanied by the perceived colour of that Earth. In the case in question however, there is no perception of Colour; consequently the Touch cannot be regarded as belonging to the Earth. Nor could Water and Fire be regarded as the necessary substratum; because the touch felt in the Air is neither hot nor cold, like the touch of the jar (while the touch of Water and Fire are distinctly cool and warm). Nor lastly, could the Touch be regarded as belonging to the incorporeal Substances,—Ākāśa, Time and Space; because Touch is always found to exist in corporeal substances. Then, if the touch belongèd to the Mind, then like the atoms, Mind would have the character of producing products homogenous to itself; as a matter of fact however we find that Mind has not produced any touch products. Consequently, the Touch could not belong the Mind. Thus then, the only substance that could be regarded as the substratum of Touch is Air, and Air only.

Similarly too, Sound also an is indication of the existence of of Air. For instance, we often hear of a rustling sound appearing, all on a sudden, among the leaves of trees; and we conclude that the sound must be primarily due to the conjunction of a substance that is endowed with touch, because it is an initiative sound related to a substance whose component particles are not separated, like the sound proceeding from the drum struck by a stick. That which has this Touch is the Air; as Ākāśa and the other substances have no Touch. And if the sound were due to the coloured substances,—Earth, Water or Fire—then it would be visible to the Eye. We have added the proviso—‘that which is related to a substance of which the constituent particles are not separated’—with a view to set aside the sound produced by disjunction. Similarly, the existence and continuance, of leaves and other things in the sky must be regarded as due to the conjunction of a substance capable of tactile perception,—because it is a continuance in the absence of any such impelling agency as that of effort or speed—just as we find in the case of leaves floating on the Water. This substance capable of tactile perception cannot be either Earth or Water or Fire; because the Touch is not visible. Hence this substance must be regarded as something totally distinct from these three. We have added the proviso—‘in the absence of effort and speed’—with a view to differentiate the existence or continuance of the arrow and the bird. Then again, the peculiarly qualified Shaking of trees must be due to the conjunction of a substance capable of being perceived by the organ of Touch,—because it is a qualified Shaking,—like the shaking of the vetasa tree caused by the swift current of the river. It might be argued that the premiss does not apply to the case of the trembling of the Earth during Earth-quakes. But it is not so; as Earth-quakes are due to a different cause altogether; and it is only a qualified shaking (i.e. shaking of substances found to be qualified by the connection of something else) that can be regarded as a reason for the existence of a conjunction with a tactile substance.

Objection: “The substance inferred from sound and the other indications, is the same as that inferred from Touch, and there is not a distinct substance inferred from each of the indications enumerated; under the circumstances what are your proofs for asserting that the existence of Air is indicated by Sound, Steadiness and Shaking?”

Reply: The proof for this lies in the fact that, in as much as Sound, Steadiness and Shaking can be reasonably attributed to the substance that has been inferred from Touch, there can be no reason for the assumption of other substances.

The author now points out the property of Air:—It has the character of moving horizontally. It is capable of moving the clouds from one place to the other, of keeping them suspended and of counteracting the force of their gravity, and also of making them rain. It is Air again which moves chariots and boats.

In as much as there is always a doubt as to the singleness or multiplicity of such inferred substances as the Ākāśā and the like, with a view to remove this doubt in the case of Air, our author adds—though it is imperceptible &c. He points out where “collapse” is perceptible; whenever there is a collision of two winds operating in opposite directions, they stop each other’s motion; and it is this collision tending to deaden their velocity that is called “collapse.” And it is this from which we infer the fact of the wind being many; as there could be no collision (which is a kind of conjunction) of a single thing by itself. In as much as two winds blowing in the same direction, one after the other, do not collide,—the text adds—blowing in different directions with contrary action. And as there would be no actual collision between the two if they were of unequal force—the stronger forcing its way over the weaker and blowing in its original direction—the author has added; blowing with, equal velocity.

In as much as the conjunction in question would be as imperceptible as their multiplicity, the text proceeds to show that the collision too is inferred from the upward going of two corporeal substances in the shape of the Air rising up, the process of reasoning being that—the rising of the winds must be due to their striking against each other, because it is an upward motion of substances naturally having a horizontal motion, and no other cause for such upward motion is possible under the circumstances, just like the rising of the waves of water striking against one another. Instead of using the expression ‘avayavinoḥ’ (‘substance made up of certain constituent parts’), the author has used the expression ‘sāvayavinoḥ’ (the things made up of partite substances’), with a view to include the Air in the gross perceptible form only—the epithet ‘sāvayava’ (‘partite’) being applicable to the subtile constituents of Air (f.i., the diad of Air, which also is made up of constituent atoms and hence as such can be called ‘sāvayava’ though it is not perceptible); specially as a substance that is atomic in its dimensions cannot have the power of moving such things as the tuft of grass and the like. As the upward rising of the winds would also be imperceptible, the author adds that. the rising is inferred from the rising up of tufts of grass &c.

The author now describes the real form of ‘Prāṇa’ which is known, by ordinary men and also in the works on yoga, as something totally distinct from Air in the shape of ordinary objects. The Breath exists within the body.—that is to say ‘Breath’ is the name that is given to the Air in the body. The useful purpose served by this Breath is that it moves about the liquid and solid materials, as also the refuse substances of the body. By the word ‘liquid’ here is meant the particular substance that is produced out of the digested food; ‘refuse’ refers to the excreta; ‘solid’ refers to the skin, the flesh, the bones and the blood &c. These substances are moved about and brought together—by the Breath. There may be a doubt as to the multiplicity of this Breath; hence it is added—while being one &c. It might be urged that we have many scriptural passages speaking of the Air in the Body being five in number with a view to this our author add;—By reasons of the diverse functions &c. The Air is called ‘apāna’ (‘downward’); by reason of its moving down the refuse materials of the body; when it expands the liquids among the arteries it is called ‘vyāna’ (‘expansive’); by raising up the foods and drinks it comes to be called ‘udīna’ (‘upward’); and that which is breathed out of the nostrils and the mouth is called ‘Prāṇa’ (‘outward’); and which distributes equally the stomachtic heat over all parts of the stomach, for purposes of digestion is called ‘Samāna’ (‘equalising’). Thus we find that we have got five distinct Airs; but the number ‘five’ is only assumed (on the basis of its different functions) we conclude this from the fact of the impossibility of many corporeal substances existing in a single substrate (i.e. the five Airs could not inhere over the whole of a single Body.