98. The cause of some gases and substances being odourless and tasteless

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

98. THE CAUSE OF SOME GASES AND SUBSTANCES BEING ODOURLESS AND TASTELESS

            148. We would make a small digression here with the object of explaining the cause of some gases and substances being odourless and tasteless respectively. We have stated above that the minutest particle of each of the five conditions of matter is at the centre of each of the five senses. These minutest particles are in the same phase as the tattvas they appertain to. Accordingly, a tattva itself, so long as it is not subjected to some extraneous action or admixture, does not produce any action upon the sense which contains its tanmatra. Vayu alone would not, therefore, affect the sense of smell, nor would such of the permanent gases as approach it in subtlety of their constitution. We have already said in Article 97 that the idea of five tattvas is the one appertaining to the peculiar grouping of the molecules of each of them, and in considering the subject, this conception should not be confounded with the gross forms of gases, liquids, solids, etc. met with here. The above remarks apply mutatis mutandis to all the remaining senses.

            149. To elucidate the matter further, we would, however, add another illustration. So long as the condition of heat does not reach that stage of subtlety in which atoms are fit to be associated with the kinetic energy which agitates the ethereal plane, it merely affects the sense of touch by the action it produces upon the physical body, but it is not seen as light. As soon as, however, the subtle condition, referred to above, is reached, this condition affects the tanmatra of heat in the eye, and light is perceived. In short, when the five conditions of matter are so agitated as to affect their subtle planes, the sentient entities, who happen to be present within the field of such agitation, receive the impression at the senses concerned and feel it as sound, light, smell, taste, or touch, as the case may be. It frequently happens that a single agitation, which is, of course, produced by energy, may affect more than one sense. In tat case there might be a concomitant experience to the different senses that are affected. A report produced by a combustible substance, for example, affects the senses of hearing and sight, and in some cases of smell too. The sense of hearing on the face of it produces an impression that it is much grosser than the sense of sight, and it will therefore be advantageous to explain clearly how the contrary of such a notions holds good.