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Maharishi Kanad And The Founding Of Atomic Theory: A Closer Look
Maharishi Kanad (also known as Kanada or Kanada Maharishi) was an ancient Indian philosopher and founder of the Vaisheshika school of Hindu philosophy.
He is known for his treatise on natural philosophy, the Vaisheshika Sutras, which deals with topics such as atomic theory, the nature of the universe, and the concept of causation.
His philosophical ideas have influenced many other schools of Indian philosophy, including Nyaya and Yoga. He is considered one of the most important figures in the history of Indian philosophy.
Many regard him as a scientist from ancient India, as his philosophies touch upon many aspects that fall under the purview of modern science. It is without question that he was one of the greatest philosophers not only in India, but also in the world.
However, some believe that he hasn’t been given due credit for his atomic theory and Dalton, born thousands of year later, was instead named the father of modern atomic theory. They attribute it to some western bias and neglect for scientific endeavors of ancient India.
As Maharishi Kanad was a Hindu sage, this topic involves some religious overtone too. This is where we decided to decode the topic of credit of Atomic Theory and bring about information that anyone who tries to understand with a logical and scientific temper will be able to understand.
Maharishi Kanad’s atomic theory
Maharishi Kanad is known for his philosophical atomic theory, which is outlined in his treatise on natural philosophy, the Vaisheshika Sutras. According to this theory, all matter is made up of tiny indivisible particles called atoms, which are eternal and indestructible.
Maharshi Kanad
Introduction to Sage Kanad
Sage Kanad
When the entire people credit the Western World for modern physics and its development, it is India’s own scientist “Sage Kanad”, otherwise known as “Acharya Kanad”, who should be highly revered and credited. He discovered the atomic structure, atomic theory, and even sub-atomic particles some 2600 years before. Kanad in Sanskrit denotes the smallest particle. He is revered as the “Father of Atomic Theory”. He has rendered Kanada Sutras, which are the Aphorisms of Kanada, which is considered as one of the greatest works in the field of physics. He is not only revered in Hinduism but also in Jainism and Buddhism, where his concepts are highly praised.
Life of Acharya Kanad:
He was believed to have born in the year 600 BC or 800 BC in Gujarat, India. His father was a philosopher Ulka. His birth name was Kashyap. As a child, he always accompanied his father and observed many things. But despite of all those things around him, his interest was always on the smallest things. He was able to look beyond the general concepts which were underlying in the universe.
When he was able to conceptualize the idea of the smallest particle, he noted down his ideas and was able to explain it to people. Many people also with great reverence call him Acharya Kanad.
Legend of Acharya Kanad:
When Acharya Kanad was young, he always admired the grain of rice. It was the tradition of the early Hindu family, to scatter grains of rice along the streets, for the people to follow it as a ritual. The young boy was looking at the ant, which was eating the rice. He was fascinated by the idea that a small piece of rice could become food for a small creature like an ant, but it needs a lot of grains, collected together to make a complete meal for a person, which could satiate his hunger.
The idea of looking deep and beyond was highly fascinating, and he started to look deep into the rice particle, which suggested to him the concept of “Anu”, the smallest particle.
Acharya Kanad’s contribution:
The theory of “Anu”, the atom was postulated even before Dalton’s theory. But, may people do not consider it, as it is not highly empirical. He was able to bring a theory on the creation and existence of the universe. He was able to parallelly bring mystical realities of “Atma”, along with “atom”, which is bound by energy. Every “Atma” wants moksha, which is the ulterior goal of every soul born in this world.
He described the universe with six categories, which are Dravya, which is defined as a substance. Guna, which is defined as the quality. Karman, which is defined as a motion. Samanya, which is defined as Generic Species. Visesa, which is defined as a unique Trait, and Samavaya is defined as inherence
Conclusion:
Thus, great philosophers and Saints like Sage Kanad were parallelly able to travel on both philosophy and spirituality. He has made several people think about science and was a great inspiration for several other philosophers and thinkers.
Sage Kanada was a famous philosopher and scientist from ancient Indian times. He was known by many names like Kashyapa, Kannada and Uluka. He was the founder of the Indian philosophy school named “Vaisheshika”. This school did the work of representing early Indian physics as well. Kanada was known to have lived from the 6th to 2nd century BCE. People have very limited information about his life and day to day lifestyle.
“Vaisheshika” aimed at educating and enlightening people about aspects like the creation of the universe and the existence of it using terms like logic, realism and atomic theory. The traditional name of the philosopher ”Kanada” comes from the term which means “atom eater”. It is only right to believe that this name has to do with his profession and his field of study. He is popular for developing the base and foundation of an outlook based on atoms in subjects like Philosophy and Physics. These texts were prominently in the Sanskrit language. Along with Vaisheshika Sutra, the texts written by Kanada are also known as Kanada Sutras or composition of short phrases that express a truth in a very clever way.
Sage Kanada in his texts suggests that everything can be divided further but the divisions can’t keep happening just like that. There has to be a limit to how much an element can be divided in total. The smallest elements named Parmanu cannot be divided further. They claim to be eternal. These complex substances and bodies have a distinctive identity. These Parmanus, when mixed with heat, become the basis of all kinds of material existence. Kanada, with his brilliant wit and bright intelligence, developed the approach and means to attain moksha for the human soul using these very studies and observances.
Kanada Rishi was born in Gujarat and he was fondly called the “Father of Atomic Theory” in the latter stages of his life. Kanada speaks about 6 padarthas (properties/elements) that are known. He bases them to be the foundation of the universe and that these six properties can explain anything in the universe. “Dravya” meaning substance, “Guna” meaning quality, “Samanya” meaning generic species, “Samavaya” meaning inherence, “Karman” meaning motion, and “Vishesh” meaning a unique quality These properties/elements are further divided into sub-types. They are atomic, non-atomic and pervasive in nature.
The Dravya element is further divided into nine elements which are “Prithvi” (Earth), “Teja” (Light), “Jala” (Water), “Vaayu” (Air), “Disha” (Direction), “Kaal” (Time), “Manasa” (Mind), “Atma” (Soul) and “Aakasa” (Ether). This gives us a great understanding of his deep research, his ideology and his thought process. This also is a mirror to his intellect and brilliance. He is considered as the “Sad-Uluka” in Jain literature as he created the basis of 6 elements that form an answer to all the questions in the universe.
Sage Kanada’s expert fields are Meta-Physics and Ethics Physics. He has been the inspiration for not only people in similar fields but also people in the medical field like Charaka. Charaka’s “Charaka Samhita” was created after studying Kanada’s work carefully.
Acharya Kanad: An Indian Sage Who Developed Atomic Theory 2,600 Years Ago
Sage Kanada, a renowned philosopher and scientist from ancient India, was a man of many names, including Kashyapa, Kannada, and Uluka. He is credited with founding the Indian philosophy school of “Vaisheshika,” which was responsible for representing early Indian physics. Kanada is believed to have lived between the 6th and 2nd century BCE, and while there is limited information available about his life and daily routines, his contributions to philosophy and physics are significant.
The “Vaisheshika” school aimed to educate and enlighten people about the creation and existence of the universe, using concepts such as logic, realism, and atomic theory. The name “Kanada” derives from the term “atom eater,” likely due to his profession and field of study. Kanada is known for establishing the basis and foundation of an atom-based outlook in subjects such as philosophy and physics. His texts were primarily written in Sanskrit and are known as the Kanada Sutras or compositions of short phrases that express a truth in a clever way.
Kanada suggested that everything can be divided further, but there has to be a limit to the extent of the divisions. According to Kanada, the smallest elements, called Parmanu, cannot be further divided and are eternal. These complex substances and bodies have a unique identity, and when mixed with heat, they become the basis of all kinds of material existence. Kanada developed an approach to attain moksha for the human soul using these studies and observations, reflecting his wit and intelligence.
Kanada Rishi, born in Gujarat, was known as the “Father of Atomic Theory” in later life. He spoke of six padarthas (properties/elements) that form the foundation of the universe and can explain everything in it. These six properties are “Dravya” (substance), “Guna” (quality), “Samanya” (generic species), “Samavaya” (inherence), “Karman” (motion), and “Vishesh” (a unique quality). They are further divided into atomic, non-atomic, and pervasive types.
The Dravya element is divided into nine elements: “Prithvi” (Earth), “Teja” (Light), “Jala” (Water), “Vaayu” (Air), “Disha” (Direction), “Kaal” (Time), “Manasa” (Mind), “Atma” (Soul), and “Aakasa” (Ether). This provides insight into his deep research, ideology, and thought process, as well as a reflection of his intellect and brilliance. In Jain literature, he is considered the “Sad-Uluka” for creating the basis of the six elements that provide answers to all the universe’s questions.
Sage Kanada was an expert in Meta-Physics and Ethics Physics and has been an inspiration not only to people in similar fields but also to those in the medical field, such as Charaka. Charaka’s “Charaka Samhita” was created after a careful study of Kanada’s work, further attesting to his significant contributions to science and philosophy.
Acharya Kanada: The Father of Atomic Theory
Modern science credits the atomic theory to an English chemist and physicist named John Dalton (1766-1844). However, not many people are aware that a theory of atoms was formulated approximately 2500 years before Dalton by an Indian sage and philosopher named Acharya Kanada.
Acharya Kanada, originally known by the name of Kashyap, is believed to have been born either around 600 BC or 800 BC in Prabhas Kshetra near Dwaraka in present day Gujarat, India. He was the son of a philosopher named Ulka.
Kashyap displayed a keen sense of detail since childhood and minute things attracted his attention. As a young boy, he once accompanied his father on a pilgrimage to Prayaga. He noticed that thousands of pilgrims in the town were littering its roads with flowers and grains of rice which they offered at the temples by the shore of river Ganges.
Fascinated by the tiny particles, Kashyap began collecting the grains of rice from the ground while everyone else was busy offering prayers or bathing in the Ganges. Noticing this behaviour from a boy of a well-to-do family, an inquisitive crowd gathered around him and started wondering why he was acting in such a strange manner.
When questioned about why he was collecting grains of rice that even a beggar wouldn’t touch, Kashyap replied that one grain in itself may seem worthless but a collection of some hundred grains make up a person’s meal. The collection of many meals would feed an entire family and ultimately the entire mankind was made up of many families. And for this reason alone, a single grain of rice was as important as all the riches in the world. People started calling him Kanada after this incidence as ‘kan’ translates to the smallest particle in Sanskrit.
It was Kanada who first realized the idea that “anu” (atom) was an indestructible particle of matter.
This theory occurred to him while he was walking with food in his hand. As he nibbled at the food in his hand, throwing away the small particles one by one until he was unable to break it down anymore and it left a smell on his hands. He realized that he could not divide the food into further parts and the realization of a matter which cannot be divided further came into existence.
He called this indivisible matter, “anu” which literally means atom. He founded the Vaisheshika School of philosophy where he taught his ideas and the nature of the universe. He authored the text “Vaisesika Sutras” or Aphorisms, pioneering the atomic theory, describing dimension, motion and chemical reactions of atoms.
Acharya Kanada considered the atom minute objects invisible to the naked eye which come into being and vanished in an instant; they were indestructible and hence eternal.
Adherents of this philosophy further held that atoms of same substance combined with each other to produce dvyanuka (bi-atomic molecules) and tryanuka (tri-atomic molecules). This devinuka has the properties similar to those of the two original paramanu. Kanada also put forward the idea that atoms could be combined in various ways to produce chemical changes in presence of other factors such as heat. He gave blackening of earthen pot and ripening of fruit as examples of this phenomenon.
His primary area of study was Rasavādam, considered to be a type of alchemy. He is said to have believed that all living beings are composed of five elements: water, fire, earth, air, ether. Vegetables have only water, insects have water and fire, birds have water, fire, earth and air, and Humans, the top of the creation, have ether—the sense of discrimination (time, space, mind) are one. He theorized that Gurutva (Hindi/Sanskrit for Gravity) was responsible for the falling of objects on the Earth.
Accordingly, the universe is the interplay of seven aspects or states of material things, namely:
Dravyam (matter)
Guna (Quality)
Karma (Action)
Samanya (Generic species)
Vishesha (Unique trait)
Samavaya (Inherence or integrated part of the whole), and
Abhava (Non-existence)
Dravyam (matter) is again subdivided into nine aspects:
Prithvi (Earth)
Jala (Water)
Teja (Light)
Vaayu (Gas)
Aakaasa (Ether)
Dika (Direction / space dimension)
Kaala (Time)
Maanas (Mind)
Atma (Soul)
Kanada defined ‘life’ as an organized form of atoms and molecules and ‘death’ as an unorganized form of those atoms and molecules.
This Indian conception of the atom was developed independently and possibly prior (depending on which dates one accepts for the life of Kanada) to the development of the idea in the Greco-Roman world. Indian theories about the atom are abstract and enmeshed in philosophy as they were based on logic and not on personal experience or experimentation.
Thus the Indian theories lacked an empirical base, but in the words of A.L. Basham, the veteran Australian Indologist “they were brilliant imaginative explanations of the physical structure of the world, and in a large measure, agreed with the discoveries of modern physics.”
According to author Dilip M. Salwi, “if Kanada’s sutras are analysed, one would find that his atomic theory was far more advanced than those forwarded later by the Greek philosophers, Leucippus and Democritus.”
National Aeronautical Laboratory in Bangalore runs a science magazine in this great philosopher’s name called Kanada.
Rishi Kanada: The propounder of Atomic Theory
From the 19th century to the 21st century everyone knows John Dalton who is credited with the development of atomic theory. But today in this era a very few people know that the atomic theory was originated about 2,600 years ago by an Indian sage and philosopher. It is believed that the sage lived between the 6th century to 2nd century BCE.
It was Rishi Kanada, an Indian philosopher who drafted the ideas about the atom in a systematic manner. His real name was to be known as “Kashyap”. Since his childhood, even small things tempted his attention. He is being been called as the father of the atomism, who propounded the parmanu (atoms), an approach to physics and philosophy in the approach to physics and philosophy in the Sanskrit text “Vaisesika Sutra”.
Ideas about the atomic theory:-
Kanada’s statements about physics are central that is knowable which is based on motion. His imputation to physics is the understanding of the universe which follows from his invariance principles.
Observations and theories:-
His primary area of study was Rasavadam, which is known to be a type of alchemy. He told that he presumed that all livings beings are composed of 5 elements: water, fire, earth, air, and ether. He proposed that Gurutva (Hindi/Sanskrit for gravity) was responsible for the earth, rising of fire and heat upwards, the growth of grass, the natural rainfall, and thunderstorm. He then attempted to apply his observations with his theories on atoms, molecules, and their interaction. This atom between the 5th and 3rd centuries BC, the atom is mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita(chapter 8).
The concept of anu(atom):-
Kanada propounded that parmanu(atom) is an indestructible particle of matter. The atom is indivisible because it is a state at which no measurement can be assigned. It is also believed that Kanada who also founded the school of philosophy considered the atom to be indestructible and hence eternal.
Atom Rishi Kanad Atomic Theory
Atoms as we know today
They observed that atoms which are very minute objects are invisible to the human being’s naked eyes which come into being and vanish in an instant.
Vaiseshikas further claimed that atoms of the same substance combined with each other create dvyanuka(diatomic molecules) and tryanuka(triatomic molecules).
Kanada also further put forward that the idea of atoms could be combined in various ways to produce chemical changes in the presence of other factors such as heat.
He gave an example of the blackening of earthen pot and ripening of fruit for this phenomenon. Kanada’s perception about the atom was likely independent from the similar concept among the ancient Greeks, because of the differences between the theories. For example, Kanada recommended that atoms as buildings blocks differ both qualitatively and quantitatively; while Greeks suggested the atoms differed only quantitatively but not qualitatively.
So, who discovered the concept of Atomic theory? Whether it was Rishi Kanad or John Dalton? It is to be decided by the readers.
Kanada
It has been claimed that Kashyapa, later known as Kanada (Sanskrit: कणाद; also transliterated as Canada as well as other forms) was a Hindu sage and philosopher who founded the philosophical school of Vaisheshika. He talked of Dvyanuka (biatomic molecule) and tryanuka (triatomic molecule). He probably lived around the 2nd century BCE, while other sources claim he lived in the 6th Century BC. It is believed that he was born in Prabhas Kshetra (near Dwaraka) in Gujarat, India.
His primary area of study was Rasavādam, considered to be a type of alchemy. He is said to have believed that all living beings are composed of five elements: water, fire, earth, air, ether. Vegetables have only water, insects have water and fire, birds have water, fire, earth and air, and Humans, the top of the creation, have ether – the sense of discrimination (time, space, mind) are one. He theorized that Gurutva was responsible for the falling of objects on the Earth.
Many believe that Kanada originated the concept of atom. An interesting story states that this theory occurred to him while he was walking with food in his hand. As he nibbled at the food in his hand, throwing away the small particles, it occurred to him that he could not divide the food into further parts and thus the idea of a matter which cannot be divided further came into existence. He called that indivisible matter as ‘ Anu ‘ .i.e. atom.
Adherents of the school of philosophy founded by Kanada considered the atom to be indestructible, and hence eternal. They believed atoms to be minute objects invisible to the naked eye which come into being and vanish in an instant. This Indian concept of the atom was developed independently[5] and possibly prior (depending on which dates one accepts for the life of Kanada) to the development of the idea in the Greco-Roman world. Indian theories about the atom are greatly abstract and enmeshed in philosophy as they were based on logic and not on personal experience or experimentation. Thus the Indian theories lacked an empirical base, but in the words of A.L. Basham, the veteran Australian Indologist “they were brilliant imaginative explanations of the physical structure of the world, and in a large measure, agreed with the discoveries of modern physics.”
Sage who dreamed of the Atom
Acharya Kanada, ancient Indian philosopher, imagined atoms ~2,500 years back and estimated it to be 7.2X10-⁸ meters
Acharya Kanada, also known as Kashyapa, an ancient Indian natural scientist and philosopher, formulated the theory of atoms 2500 years before John Dalton’s discovery. He founded the Vaisheshika school of Indian philosophy that epitomized the earliest Indian physics. He used this to explain the creation and existence of the universe by proposing an atomistic theory, applying logic and realism which made his school one of the earliest known systematic realist ontology in human history.
The Story Lane:
Acharya Kanada was born in 600 BC in Prabhas Kshetra (near Dwaraka) in Gujarat, in Eastern India. His real name was Kashyap.
Once on his holy expedition to Prayag, Kashyap saw thousands of devotees littering the streets with flowers and rice grains, which they presented at the temple as a symbol of respect. Fascinated by the broken grains of rice spread on the streets, he started collecting them.
A crowd gathered around and asked him that why he is collecting the leftover grains that even a beggar will not eat. He replied that while the individual grain particles may not have any worth, but a collection of hundreds of grains can make up a person’s meal, the collection of many such meals would serve an entire family and ultimately would feed the entire mankind. Therefore even a single grain of rice is as important as all the valuable riches in this world.
Impressed by his thoughts and explanation of importance of even a single particle, people began calling him ‘Kannada’, as ‘Kan’ in Sanskrit means ‘the smallest particle’.
Kanada was walking with food in his hand, breaking it into small pieces when he realized that he was unable to divide the food into any further parts. From this moment, he conceptualized the idea of a particle that could not be divided any further. He termed that indivisible matter parmanu or anu (atom). Note that, at later times, anu (atom) was considered to be consisted of paramanu (“sub-atom”), but Kanada used these terms interchangably . He also proposed that this indivisible matter could not be noticed or perceived through any human organ i.e., through naked eyes.
The Vedic Atomic Theory:
Kanada believed that the atom was eternal and has the tendency to bind with other atoms. Vaisesika atomists posited the four elemental atom types.
The union of two atoms forms a double or binary molecule, called “Dwinuka”. According to theory proposed by Kanada, Dwinuka would have similar properties as of the original parmanu (atoms). He also stated that the combinations of different type of atoms result in a non-identical molecule that could chemically change a component in the presence of specific factors such as heat — for example, change in color of utensils made of mud when they are heated. Kanada’s book, called Vaisheshik Darshan (also called Kannada sutras), captured his atomic theory which states the following:
Everything can be partitioned
Subdivision leads to creation of parmanu (atom) after a while
Parmanu is indivisible, that is, it cannot be divided further
Subsection of any particle has an end and cannot be carried infinitely.
Atom is indestructible
It is the foundation for all material existence
Parmanu has a specific property which is same as the class of substance to which it belongs
It cannot be seen through naked eye
Atoms can be combined in different ways to produce chemical changes by heating them or using other measures.
Parmanu or atom can have two states — state of motion and state of absolute rest.
“Paramanu” in today’s measurements:
Paramanu (“atom”) is the unit of measurement for any being. A single Paramāṇu represents the smallest unit possible. Combining 8 Paramāṇu units will form a single Rathadhūli unit and so on. Below are proposed units of measurement in relation to one another:
8 Paramāṇu= 1 Rathadhūli, chariot-dust
8 Rathadhūli= 1 Vālāgra, hair-end (today taken to be ~75 μm)
8 Vālāgra= 1 Likṣā, nit
8 Likṣā= 1 Yūka, louse
8 Yūka= 1 Yava, barley-corn
8 Yava= 1 Aṅgula, digit (width of a finger, 3/4 of an inch or ~1.9 cm)
The smallest unit, which is paramāṇu is stated to be perceived only by the sages. For all other practical purposes, aṅgula is the smallest unit of measurement to be used by common people
Using one Aṅgula, width of a finger, 1.9 cm, to be 8*8*8*8*8*8 = 262,144 paramanus, 1 paramanu turns to be about 7.2X10-⁸ meters. The atom, as we know today, is about 10-¹⁰meters, or just about 700 times bigger than Kanad’s paramanu.
While Kanada’s atom was ~ 700 times bigger than what we know today, conceptualizing such small sizes 2,500 years back without the aid of modern scientific instruments is a remarkable feat.
Acharya Kanada defined life as an organized form of atoms and molecules and deaths as an unorganized form of those atoms. His discovery was not without controversy and has been in dispute since the earliest days. The earliest significant discovery of atom that survives today was done in 5th century by Greek philosophers Leucippus and Democritus. Scholars such as McEvilley (2002) assumes that such similarities are due to extensive cultural contact and diffusion, probably in either direction.
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Acharya Kanad (600 BCE) – Founder of Atomic Theory
As the founder of ” Vaisheshik Darshan “- one of six principal philosophies of India – Acharya Kanad was a genius in philosophy. He is believed to have been born in Prabhas Kshetra near Dwarika in Gujarat . He was the pioneer expounder of realism, law of causation and the atomic theory. He has classified all the objects of creation into nine elements, namely: earth, water, light, wind, ether, time, space, mind and soul. He says, “Every object of creation is made of atoms which in turn connect with each other to form molecules.” His statement ushered in the Atomic Theory for the first time ever in the world, nearly 2500 years before John Dalton . Kanad has also described the dimension and motion of atoms and their chemical reactions with each other. The eminent historian, T.N. Colebrook , has said, “Compared to the scientists of Europe , Kanad and other Indian scientists were the global masters of this field.”
Acharya Kanad a Product of Science or Speculative Metaphysics?
Kanad’s positing the idea of the atom did not carry an explanatory burden; it was just a speculative thesis. It is outrageous to compare it with modern atomic theories.
Recently, the Maharaja Sayajirao University made some claims in its official diary hailing some ancient Indian sages like Acharya Kanad, Maharshi Bhardwaj and Kapil Muni for their contributions to science by linking them with current science and technology. Somehow, Acharya Kanad’s name became associated with nuclear technology. How was this bizarre connection even made?
It could be because Kanad is the founder of the system of philosophy (Darshan) called Vaisheshik that propounds the doctrine of anu (atoms) as part of its metaphysics. The doctrine of anu is somehow considered equivalent to the modern atomic theory of science. Such an equivalence is outrageously strange and Vaisheshik Darshan does not deserve the merit of science.
It’s useful to understand the doctrine of Vaisheshik in brief in relation to the nature of atom to see if there could be any scientific aspects to it. Vaisheshik Darshan is one of the six schools of orthodox philosophy (the others being nyaya, samkhya, yoga, mimamsa and vedanta). Traditionally, scholars have studied Indian philosophy under these six schools, considered to be six ‘systems’ of philosophy by Max Müller and others.
Such a study in philosophy generally falls under the sub-discipline of metaphysics. In fact, any standard textbook in Indian philosophy would treat these topics of Vaisheshik under the heading of ‘metaphysics’.
The Vaisheshik metaphysics recognises seven categories, and dravya (substance itself) is one of them. Substances further come under two heads, the eternal and the non-eternal. There are nine kinds of eternal substances: prithvi (earth), jala (water), tejas (fire), vayu (air), akasha (ether), kala (time), dik (space), atma (soul) and manas (mind).
These eternal substances are not day to day concrete objects that can be encountered. Earth, water, fire and air can be considered to be principles or essences that can’t be experienced, and it is only these four eternal substances that contain atoms.
The doctrine also makes it very clear that these atoms are not perceivable but are to be inferred, although the principle of inference is not clear. As a result, it would be more appropriate to say that it’s not inference that plays any part here but some kind of speculation. For inference to be involved, there ought to be something that is empirical that it should offer an explanation for.
But if the substances are not objects of experience, then there is nothing empirical at play. The sages simply put forth the idea that the atoms of these substances are the smallest elements which are without parts (i.e. indivisible) and that are, in themselves, motionless. The movement of atoms, according to them, is caused by the unseen agency residing in individual souls. Can such a doctrine that is not connected to anything empirical be called scientific? For science (as we conduct it today) is essentially empirical.
The atomic theory in science is considered to have originated with John Dalton (1766-1844), the English physicist and chemist. Though the early Greek philosophers, like Leucippus of Miletus and Democritus of Abdera, did posit atoms in their philosophies, one never considers them to be scientific.
The starting point of Dalton’s atomic hypothesis was also substance – but the substances of Dalton are chemical kinds that are objects of experience in contrast to that of the Vaisheshik. The aim of the chemist was to discover the processes through which different kinds of substances reacted and produced other substances. Empirically, he found that they reacted in certain proportions by volume or by weight – whether as solids, liquids or gases.
The ratios of these reacting substances were always in whole numbers. A law of constant proportion was subsequently formulated. In all, this was an experimental discovery and, in this sense, an empirical discovery. Dalton’s explanation for this was that substances or matter was composed of atoms, and that during a reaction, the atoms of these substances combined to form clusters of molecules.
Of course, the atomic theory of today is substantially different from that of Dalton’s but the point is that Dalton’s was considered to be the first scientific theory of atoms. Why? Because it was attempting to rationally explain an empirical law.
The Vaisheshik doctrine has none of these features. What was Kanad’s atom, or anu, trying to explain? Which empirical finding was it trying to account for? The positing of the idea of the atom by Kanad did not carry an explanatory burden; it was just a speculative thesis. It is outrageous to compare it with modern scientific atomic theories.
One of the arguments that could be given by the advocates of the so-called ‘Kanad’s atomic theory’ is that Dalton’s theory was rejected by the evolving standards of scientific investigation. Indeed, the nature of science is to remain open to corrections, but the progress of scientific theories lies in more empirical findings made possible by advances in technology and theoretical knowledge. In its essence, science has to be empirical. Kanad’s atomic doctrine is not.
Acharya Kanada’s Childhood
Kashyap displayed a keen sense of detail since childhood and minute things attracted his attention.As a young boy, he once accompanied his father on a pilgrimage to Prayaga. He noticed that thousands of pilgrims in the town were littering its roads with flowers and grains of rice which they offered at the temples by the shore of river Ganges.
Fascinated by the tiny particles, Kashyap began collecting the grains of rice from the ground while everyone else was busy offering prayers or bathing in the Ganges.
Noticing this behaviour from a boy of a well-to-do family, an inquisitive crowd gathered