Sūtra 2.1.13 (Air is eternal)

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 2.1.13:

अद्रव्यत्वेन नित्यत्वमुक्तम् ॥ २.१.१३ ॥

adravyatvena nityatvamuktam || 2.1.13 ||

adravyatvena—by not residing in or combining with other Substances; nityatvam—eternality; uktam—said.

13. The eternality (of Air) is evident from its not combining with other Substances.

Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:

(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)

It may be said that because Air possesses Action and Attribute, therefore, like the water-pot, etc., it should be inferred to be non-eternal. Hence he says:

[Read sūtra 2.1.13 above]

“Of Air characterised as ultimate atom” this is the complement of the aphorism. A Substance is destroyed by the destruction of the one or the other of its combinative and non-combinative causes. But the ultimate atom containing no parts, both of these causes do not belong to it. Therefore there being nothing to destroy it, it is not liable to destruction. Where the possession of Action and Attribute is the cause of non-eternality, there the possession of parts is the condition, upādhi, and this condition pervades the major term which is determined by the Substance-ness of the minor term; whereas the condition which is pervasive of the major term as such, is the characteristic of being the counter-opposite of prior non-existence.—13.

Commentary: The Vivṛti of Jayanārāyaṇa:

(English extracts of Jayanārāyaṇa Tarkapañcānana’s Vivṛti or ‘gloss’ called the Kaṇādasūtravivṛti from the 17th century)

Some road the first word of the aphorism as ‘adravyadravyatvena’ (instead of ‘adravyatvena’), (meaning “by its being a Substance which does not contain any other Substance).”