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114/JAIN STUDIES AND SCIENCE
JAINISM & LAWS OF MOTION
Change is the only eternal truth known to us. Everything around us is in motion. Time, earth, sun, stars, galaxies on one hand and light, electrons, micro-organisms on the other, all are in a state of perennial motion. Interestingly, all motions, though seem to be entirely random, follow definite laws. These laws were discovered initially by Newton and later on refined by Einstein in the Special and General theory of Relativity. These laws brought forward the importance of Gravitational Force on the acceleration or deceleration of a moving body.
Jain Agamic literature, fascinatingly, contain several references to the properties of motion, calculations of speed and effects of Gravitation. Mahapragya has cited a very captivating illustration from the Bhagyvati Sutra. This particular instance involves two arch rivals - 'Indra of descendant lok - Chamar' and 'Indra of ascendant lok - Shakra'.
An Anecdote
Chamar, the Indra of Adhow-lok, was always jealous of the affluence and riches of Shakra, the Indra of Urdhva-lok. Once, in his frustration. Chamar put in a lot of efforts and travelled all the way from Adhow-lok to Urdhva-lok. There he started abusing and ridiculing Shakra, who in turn, got angry and launched his powerful weapon, Vajra, to kill Chamar. No sooner Shakra threw his Vajra than he realised that Chamar did not possess enough capabilities and strength to reach to the Urdhvu-lok on his own and must had sought the help of some virtuous deity. This sudden realisation made Shakra to run after the Vajra and retrieve it before it could cause any harm. A scenario was thus created in which the Chamar was running ahead for his life, followed by the Vajru acting as a guided missile and in succession was Shakra, desperate to catch hold of the Vajra. For Chamar to return to his abode in Adhow-lok, he had to pass through Triyak-Lok in between. As the story goes, Chamar realised that he could not escape the attack of Vajra and so instead of running towards Adhow-lok he turned to Lord Mahavira and fell on his feet seeking refuge. Lord Mahavira was sitting in a meditative posture in the Triyak-Lok. The story says that the Shakra was able to reach the Vaira and withdraw it just in the nick of time.
At first sight this story may elude to glorify Lord Mahavira, but, in fact, it reveals several interesting properties of motion and gravitation in the widespread universe said to be divided into three chambers - upper, middle and lower. This anecdote reveals an important scientific fact that the matter
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