Changes

Kala (Samskrit : कालः) means "time period" in a broad sense, Kala is kshayakari (exhausting) or vriddi kari (flourishing). Firstly Kala, refers to the inexorable flow of both creation and unfolding of the universe and its subsequent destruction, in time cycles of huge dimensions. Secondly, Kala refers to the shorter and relative time periods on earth, the days and nights, paksha, masa (months), ayana (uttarayana and dakshinayana), samvatsara (year) and this leads to the bigger units of yugas which again refer back to the cycles of srishti (creation) and kshaya (decay) that the universe passes through.<ref>Narayanacharya, K. S. (2011). ''Veda Sanskritiya Parichaya''. Hubli:​Sahitya Prakashana​.</ref> Kala pertains to that cycle where creation begins with the intense effort, tapas and the determination, the samkalpa, of Brahman as given in the Prasnopanishad and reiterated by the Taittiropanishad<blockquote>तस्मै स होवाच प्रजाकामो वै प्रजापतिः स तपोऽतप्यत स तपस्तप्त्वा स मिथुनमुत्पादयते । रयिं च प्रणं चेत्येतौ मे बहुधा प्रजाः करिष्यत इति ॥ ४ ॥ (Pras. Upan. 1.4)<ref>Prasnopanishad ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%83 Prashna 1])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>सोऽकामयत । बहुभ्यां प्रजायेयेति । स तपोऽतप्यत । स तपस्तप्त्वा । इदँ सर्वमसृजत । (Taitt. Upan. 2.6)<ref>Taittriyopanishad ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%80#%E0%A5%A5_%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A0%E0%A5%8A%E0%A4%BD%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A5 Brahmanandavalli Anuvaka 6])</ref></blockquote>Summary : Pippalada, the venerable seer, tells about the beginning of the creation that the creator became desirous of creating and with that in view, practiced tapas and created a pair Rayi, the moon, the food and Prana, fire, the consumer, the surya (corresponding to matter and life force) with the intention of springing forth all dual existence whatsoever from them. In a similar spirit Taittriyopanishad also tells us that the creator at the beginning practiced tapas and having done so created all that exists.<ref>Swami Gambhirananda (1937) ''Eight Upanishads, Volume 2 (Aitareya, Mundaka, Mandukya and Karika and Prasna)'' Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama</ref>

Kala (Samskrit : कालः) means "time period" in a broad sense, Kala is kshayakari (exhausting) or vriddi kari (flourishing). Firstly Kala, refers to the inexorable flow of both creation and unfolding of the universe and its subsequent destruction, in time cycles of huge dimensions. Secondly, Kala refers to the shorter and relative time periods on earth, the days and nights, paksha, masa (months), ayana (uttarayana and dakshinayana), samvatsara (year) and this leads to the bigger units of yugas which again refer back to the cycles of srishti (creation) and kshaya (decay) that the universe passes through.<ref>Narayanacharya, K. S. (2011). ''Veda Sanskritiya Parichaya''. Hubli:​Sahitya Prakashana​.</ref>  

 

 

Kala pertains to that cycle where creation begins with the intense effort, tapas and the determination, the samkalpa, of Brahman as given in the Prasnopanishad and reiterated by the Taittiropanishad<blockquote>तस्मै स होवाच प्रजाकामो वै प्रजापतिः स तपोऽतप्यत स तपस्तप्त्वा स मिथुनमुत्पादयते । रयिं च प्रणं चेत्येतौ मे बहुधा प्रजाः करिष्यत इति ॥ ४ ॥ (Pras. Upan. 1.4)<ref>Prasnopanishad ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%83 Prashna 1])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>सोऽकामयत । बहुभ्यां प्रजायेयेति । स तपोऽतप्यत । स तपस्तप्त्वा । इदँ सर्वमसृजत । (Taitt. Upan. 2.6)<ref>Taittriyopanishad ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%80#%E0%A5%A5_%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A0%E0%A5%8A%E0%A4%BD%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A5 Brahmanandavalli Anuvaka 6])</ref></blockquote>Summary : Pippalada, the venerable seer, tells about the beginning of the creation that the creator became desirous of creating and with that in view, practiced tapas and created a pair Rayi, the moon, the food and Prana, fire, the consumer, the surya (corresponding to matter and life force) with the intention of springing forth all dual existence whatsoever from them. In a similar spirit Taittriyopanishad also tells us that the creator at the beginning practiced tapas and having done so created all that exists.<ref>Swami Gambhirananda (1937) ''Eight Upanishads, Volume 2 (Aitareya, Mundaka, Mandukya and Karika and Prasna)'' Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama</ref>

Shri. Dharampal rightly explained the influence of Kala on the Chitta (manas) or the psyche of people of Bharatavarsha as follows<ref>Dharampal. (2000) ''Dharampal Collected Writings. Volume 5 : Essays on Tradition, Recovery and Freedom.'' Goa : Other India Press</ref><blockquote>''The universe once created passes through a number of cycles of growth and decay, and at the end is drawn back into Brahman. This cycle of creation of the universe from Brahman and its disappearance into Him is repeated again and again according to the predefined flow of time. Within this large cycle, there are a number of shorter cycles, at the end of each of which the universe gets destroyed, and created again at the beginning of the next. Thus the universe keeps on passing through repeated cycles of creation and destruction, and there are series of cycles within cycles.''</blockquote><blockquote>''The terms ‘creation’ and ‘destruction’ are probably not wholly appropriate in this context. Because, at the time of creation, it is not something external to Him that Brahman creates. He only manifests Himself in the varied forms of the universe, and at the end He merely contracts those manifestations into Himself, and thus there is in reality nothing that gets created or destroyed. The universe, in a sense, is a mere play of Brahman, a cosmic game of repeated expansion and contraction of the ultimate essence of the universe. But it is a game that is played according to well defined cycles of time. The universe is play, but the play is not arbitrary. Even Brahman is governed by kala. He manifests and contracts according to a definite flow of time that even He cannot transcend.''</blockquote><blockquote>''Every Indian is probably aware of this Indian view of the universe as the play of Brahman. Every Indian is also aware of the supremacy of kala in this play. Many Indians may not know the very detailed arithmetic of the various cycles of time that is given in the Puranas. But the thought that the universe is a play that had no beginning and will have no end, and that this play of Brahman proceeds according to the inexorable flow of kala, is deeply etched on the chitta of the people of India.''</blockquote>

Shri. Dharampal rightly explained the influence of Kala on the Chitta (manas) or the psyche of people of Bharatavarsha as follows<ref>Dharampal. (2000) ''Dharampal Collected Writings. Volume 5 : Essays on Tradition, Recovery and Freedom.'' Goa : Other India Press</ref><blockquote>''The universe once created passes through a number of cycles of growth and decay, and at the end is drawn back into Brahman. This cycle of creation of the universe from Brahman and its disappearance into Him is repeated again and again according to the predefined flow of time. Within this large cycle, there are a number of shorter cycles, at the end of each of which the universe gets destroyed, and created again at the beginning of the next. Thus the universe keeps on passing through repeated cycles of creation and destruction, and there are series of cycles within cycles.''</blockquote><blockquote>''The terms ‘creation’ and ‘destruction’ are probably not wholly appropriate in this context. Because, at the time of creation, it is not something external to Him that Brahman creates. He only manifests Himself in the varied forms of the universe, and at the end He merely contracts those manifestations into Himself, and thus there is in reality nothing that gets created or destroyed. The universe, in a sense, is a mere play of Brahman, a cosmic game of repeated expansion and contraction of the ultimate essence of the universe. But it is a game that is played according to well defined cycles of time. The universe is play, but the play is not arbitrary. Even Brahman is governed by kala. He manifests and contracts according to a definite flow of time that even He cannot transcend.''</blockquote><blockquote>''Every Indian is probably aware of this Indian view of the universe as the play of Brahman. Every Indian is also aware of the supremacy of kala in this play. Many Indians may not know the very detailed arithmetic of the various cycles of time that is given in the Puranas. But the thought that the universe is a play that had no beginning and will have no end, and that this play of Brahman proceeds according to the inexorable flow of kala, is deeply etched on the chitta of the people of India.''</blockquote>

== Yuga ==

== Kalapramanam ==

An epoch. One of the four large periods into which the basic Chaturyuga cycle is divided. Also see Chaturyuga, above. Now content from this book Chaturyuga could be under this article of Yuga itself

An epoch. One of the four large periods into which the basic Chaturyuga cycle is divided. Also see Chaturyuga, above. Now content from this book Chaturyuga could be under this article of Yuga itself

Chaturyuga :

=== Chaturyuga ===

 

The basic Indian cycle of creation and destruction. According to the puranas and the astronomical texts one Chaturyuga consists of 43,20,000 solar years. Thousand Chaturyugas form a Kalpa, which is the larger cycle of creation and destruction, andis seen as a day of Brahma. The four Yugas comprising the Chaturyuga are: Krita, Treta, Dvapara and Kali.  

The basic Indian cycle of creation and destruction. According to the puranas and the astronomical texts one Chaturyuga consists of 43,20,000 solar years. Thousand Chaturyugas form a Kalpa, which is the larger cycle of creation and destruction, andis seen as a day of Brahma. The four Yugas comprising the Chaturyuga are: Krita, Treta, Dvapara and Kali.  

Krita :

=== Krita ===

 

The first Yuga of the Chaturyuga cycle. In this Yuga Dharma represented by the bull supporting the universe stands securely on all four legs. The four legs of Dharma are said to be Satya, Ahimsa, Daya, Dana, truth, non-injury, kindness and generosity, respectively, in rough translation. According to the calculations of the Puranas, the length of the Krita yuga is 17,28,000 years. But with the passage of time, the universe starts getting more and more complex. The innate order starts getting disturbed. Dharma starts getting weakened. And, towards the end of Krita, the creator has to take birth on earth in various forms to re-establish the dharma.

The first Yuga of the Chaturyuga cycle. In this Yuga Dharma represented by the bull supporting the universe stands securely on all four legs. The four legs of Dharma are said to be Satya, Ahimsa, Daya, Dana, truth, non-injury, kindness and generosity, respectively, in rough translation. According to the calculations of the Puranas, the length of the Krita yuga is 17,28,000 years. But with the passage of time, the universe starts getting more and more complex. The innate order starts getting disturbed. Dharma starts getting weakened. And, towards the end of Krita, the creator has to take birth on earth in various forms to re-establish the dharma.

Treta :

=== Treta ===

 

The second Yuga of the Chaturyuga cycle. In this Yuga the bull representing Dharma stands on three feet.

The second Yuga of the Chaturyuga cycle. In this Yuga the bull representing Dharma stands on three feet.

Dvapara :

=== Dvapara ===

 

The third of the four yugas of the Chaturyuga cycle. In this Yuga the bull representing dharma, that holds the earth, is left with only two feet. Dvapara in the current Chaturyuga begins with the ascendance of Srirama and ends with the ascendance of Srikrishna from the earth.

The third of the four yugas of the Chaturyuga cycle. In this Yuga the bull representing dharma, that holds the earth, is left with only two feet. Dvapara in the current Chaturyuga begins with the ascendance of Srirama and ends with the ascendance of Srikrishna from the earth.

Kali :

=== Kali ===

 

The fourth and the last Yuga of a Chaturyuga cycle. The current Kaliyuga began with the ascendance of Srikrishna from the earth after the Mahabharata war more than 5,000 years ago. Indian astronomical texts fix the time and date of the onset of current Kaliyuga either at the midnight of February 17/18 or the sunrise of February 18 of 3102 B.C., which is the Chaitra Sukla Pratipad of Vikrama Purva 3045 by the Indian calendar.

The fourth and the last Yuga of a Chaturyuga cycle. The current Kaliyuga began with the ascendance of Srikrishna from the earth after the Mahabharata war more than 5,000 years ago. Indian astronomical texts fix the time and date of the onset of current Kaliyuga either at the midnight of February 17/18 or the sunrise of February 18 of 3102 B.C., which is the Chaitra Sukla Pratipad of Vikrama Purva 3045 by the Indian calendar.

Kalpa :

=== Kalpa ===

 

Period of one thousand Chaturyugas, forming a day of Brahma. A Kalpa is divided into 14 Manvantaras, and there is a Manu, the patriarch, of each of the 14 Manvantaras. The largest Indian time cycle is that of 100 years of the life of Brahma, which is called a Para and half of it is Parardha. Currently we are in the Vaivasvata Manvantara, the seventh Manvantara of the Svetavaraha Kalpa, which is at the beginning of the second Parardha, or the fifty-first year of the current 100 year cycle of Brahma.

Period of one thousand Chaturyugas, forming a day of Brahma. A Kalpa is divided into 14 Manvantaras, and there is a Manu, the patriarch, of each of the 14 Manvantaras. The largest Indian time cycle is that of 100 years of the life of Brahma, which is called a Para and half of it is Parardha. Currently we are in the Vaivasvata Manvantara, the seventh Manvantara of the Svetavaraha Kalpa, which is at the beginning of the second Parardha, or the fifty-first year of the current 100 year cycle of Brahma.