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Scholars Decipher 11th-Century 'Vaisheshika' Scroll from Gujarat Detailing Early Theories of Atomic Motion

📅 April 5, 2026 📰 Indian Express
Scholars Decipher 11th-Century 'Vaisheshika' Scroll from Gujarat Detailing Early Theories of Atomic Motion

Scholars in Vadodara have completed the translation of an 11th-century scroll belonging to the Vaisheshika school, which offers a detailed metaphysical analysis of atomic motion (Kriya). The manuscript, discovered in a merchant's archive in Bharuch, argues that the movement of atoms is governed by "Adrishta" (unseen moral force), linking physical reality directly to ethical causality.

This find is particularly significant for historians of philosophy, as it demonstrates a highly developed Vedic theory of physics that integrated moral law with natural laws. The text provides complex arguments against the randomness of atomic collisions, positing instead a purposive universe driven by the collective karma of sentient beings and the inherent properties of elemental substances.

Original source: Indian Express