Samayasara

Author(s): A Chakravarti
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 79

INTRODUCTION
of physical energy, heat, light, magnetism and electricity. The next and most important step of advance is marked by the discovery of radio-activity. On the one hand it discovered the extremely complex nature of the atom which resembles the Solar system in miniature inasmuch as it contains a nucleus around which a number of negative electrons revolve with incredible velocity. The second result of this discovery is equally important. The chemical element which were considered to be completely isolated are now shown to be merely of quantitative differences brought about by the electronic changes in the intra-atomic constitution. The dream of the alchemist that all the chemical elements had a common basis and hence transmutable is no more a matter of historic curiosity suggesting merely how men went wrong in their early scientific speculations. It becomes a matter of scientific possibility for unquestionably it is indicated that all the elements have a common source. If this theory as to the constitution of the cosmos is accepted and there is evidence enough supporting it then ether becomes the primeval fountain source of all energy constituting the physical realm. This again conversely implies that due to the intra-atomic changes the physical universe may altogether get dissolved and then disappear into the very same primeval Ether. On the side of the organic world we have had a similar development pointing towards some such source as the Ether. We are all acquainted with the Darwinian conception of biological evolution which traces the diversity of animal life to a single source of organised protoplasmic matter. No doubt modern science has not been able to bridge up the gulf between the inorganic and the organic. Nevertheless the life-activity in protoplasmic matter which is the ultimate source for the wealth and richness of animal life may be this very intra-atomic energy, probably controlled and guided by a higher category not yet fully known to modern science, and most probably indicating to the same source of Ether. Towards the side of psychology many an abnormal phenomenon such as telepathy and clairvoyance are supposed to be due to some kind of Ether which is capable of transmitting thought-waves. Thus from every direction speculation leads to the same kind of origin. When different departments of modern science agree to postulating a common entity--Ether, for the purpose of explaining their respective phenomena we may very well imagine that Kapila contemplated some such ultimate basis which would account for the evolution of the cosmos as well as the organic world. Kapila's system not only describes the building up of things living and unliving from a primeval Praksti but also contemplates the possibility of their loosing their concrete form and thus disappearing into the original Praksti. Thus as a tortoise throws it limbs backwards so also will the universe retract all its emanations and evolving things back to its own bosom. This in short is the account of the evolution of the world according to Kapila.
This primeval Praksti of Pradhana is considered to be the substratum of the three guņas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. The Samkhya system