________________
AGAM & SCIENCE/117
(iii) Speed of travel for different matters is different in all the
three media. (iv) Entire universe is not homogeneous. Scientific Beliefs
(Author has used the term 'belief' along with 'scientific' for a special reason. As we shall see, science has made certain presumptions in the study of gravitational forces which are yet to be practically substantiated)
i. Density
A light ray, when travels into another medium, changes its velocity - that is, both its direction as well as speed is altered. It's often cited examples are - a straight rod looks bent when partially dipped into water, or a beam of white light splits into seven colours when made to travel through a prism. According to the modern physics, the speed reduces if density increases and vice-versa.
A similar observation is found in the case of Shakra and Chamar. But, Jain Agams have taken this physics a step further. According to this interesting tale, the effect of changing medium is subjective to the properties of the matter travelling through it. The change in speed is there, but it depends on the properties of matter. While travelling from low density of upper lok to the medium density of Triyak lok, two things happen simultaneously - (i) Shakra encounters deceleration while Chamar experiences acceleration.
ii. Gravitation
Winy is it so? Why one kind of matter is accelerated and another retarded? If we ponder deeply, a possible answer is found in the scientific astronomical observations. Since the concept of gravitational attraction was propounded by Newton, scientists now have evolved that the force of gravitation could be both - attractive as well as repulsive.
In our story, the changes in speed patterns of Shakra, Vajra and Chamar manifest that gravitation is acting favourably in one case and adversely in another case. Jain literature, therefore, indicates that like two opposite electric charges (positive and negative) and two opposite magnetic forces (north and south poles), gravitational force too, has two aspects - attractive and repulsive.
Postulates of speed as formulated in the Jain Agams were far ahead of their times and are still contemporary. Mahapragya's efforts in opening such descriptions for scientific debates are really laudable.
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
