Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Kala means ‘time issue’. The time issue is the whole lot in our life as a result of it modifications the whole lot. Kala is answerable for our manifestation, existence and non-existence. Nothing escapes the affect of Kala within the creation. Kala brings about transformation in the whole lot. Usually phrases it doesn’t have origin or destruction however is answerable for each these to happen in all entities of creation. So, Kala is all highly effective. Resulting from this, Kala is taken into account and worshiped as God. It’s stated ‘Kalaya Tasmai Namaha’ – ‘Oh divine time, I bow to you in reverence and salute to you in respect’.
Kala can be a dravya based on Ayurveda. It’s one among the many 9 dravyas – substances. So, it has its personal qualities and actions which can’t be separated from it.
Acharya Sushruta has given the standing of God to Kala and has known as it as Bhagawan Swayambhu.
Kala is Bhagawan Swayambhu
Reference – Sushruta Samhita Sutra Sthana – Chapter 6 – ‘Rutucharya Adhyaya’, verse 3
Context – Introduction to Rutucharya i.e. seasonal routine. Grasp Sushruta introduces us to the time period Kala and likewise explains its significance, giving it a standing of God, in the beginning of this chapter. It’s because Rtu – seasons are additionally a component and parcel (classification of 1 yr has been made into six seasons) Kala. Samvatsara – yr, i.e. time interval of 1 yr which can be a ‘kala’. This kala is as soon as once more divided into six seasons – that are additionally types of kala since they match into the time interval of 1 yr.
Why ought to Kala be thought-about as God?
कालो हि नाम(भगवान्)स्वयम्भुरनादिमध्यनिधनः । अत्ररशव्यापत्संपत्ती जीवितमरणे च मनुष्याणामायते । स सूक्ष्मामपि कलां न लीयत इति कालःसंकलयति कालयति वा भूतानीति कालः ॥३॥
‘Swayambhu’ is a time period used to clarify something which has been self-manifested and nobody or nothing has created it.
Acharya Sushruta tells – ‘Kala means time issue and it shall be thought-about as a self-manifested GOD i.e. Bhagawan Swayambhu’. In different phrases, we are able to inform that Kala is a ‘self-born entity.
Causes for Kala – the time issue being known as as Bhagawan Swayambhu
1. Kala has no starting, center and finish
– No ‘adi’ – i.e. it has no starting or origin – it can’t be created by something or anybody and we can’t observe its level of origin. For something to start or have origin, it ought to occur at a specific level of time. Kala itself is a ‘time issue’. However kala is answerable for the origin or delivery of the whole lot. It’s the witness of many births, begins and firsts.
– No ‘Madhya’ – i.e. it has no mid-point to indicate that ‘it was right here’. This implies to say that the time is progressive however neither its size nor the center of it may be decided. Since Kala neither has delivery (origin) or loss of life (finish), its center level too can’t be decided. However kala is answerable for the development and existence of the whole lot.
– No ‘Nidhana’ – i.e. it has no loss of life or finish. If there’s a query ‘the place does this kala finish?’ there shall be no reply for it. It’s because there shall be no ‘end-point’ for kala. The reason being as a result of kala additionally doesn’t have a degree of origin or a mid-point. That which doesn’t have origin can even not have an finish or loss of life. However kala is answerable for the tip or loss of life of the whole lot. It’s the witness of the tip.
2. Kala – determinant of life and loss of life
Kala is a Calander which has on its canvas marked the creation – life and destruction – loss of life of everybody and the whole lot. Grasp Sushruta tells that the Jivana – life and Marana – loss of life of human beings is completely depending on the Kala. Everybody has a date and time of delivery. The identical particular person can even have a date and time of loss of life written in his or her future written by Kala and that is unseen. We additionally talk about ‘Akala Marana’ i.e. premature and sudden loss of life which was surprising. It’s the ‘Kala issue’ which determines it. Why are some folks born wholesome and a few die within the womb or after delivery? Why do some have longevity and the others won’t? These components are ruled by Kala and Karma.
3. Kala – determinant of excellence and abnormalities of tastes
Every dravya – substance has its rasa – style. Some substances shall be enriched with their style and a few may have irregular tastes. The tastes of all of the substances are depending on the kala. On the identical time, the rasa sampat i.e. glorious qualities of the tastes and rasa vyapat i.e. the abnormalities of the tastes are additionally completely depending on the kala. It’s because it’s the kala which brings in regards to the transformation of style and is answerable for their sampat and vyapat. In brief, this implies to inform that, the tastes of all of the substances and their qualities both manifest or change because of the impact of Kala – time issue.
4. Kala – influences the whole lot
Every and the whole lot on the earth is influenced by Kala. Kala additionally brings in regards to the modifications in each single factor and causes transformation. It doesn’t spare even the minutest of the issues or substances from its affect.
Kala brings the whole lot it influences beneath its umbrella. This implies to say that since the whole lot falls beneath the affect of Kala, all these issues are stated to be in a single group. Kala brings all these issues in a single single group. That is additionally as a result of Kala not solely influences each single and minutest factor but additionally is answerable for modifications occurring in them and likewise the destruction of all issues. Kala, as stated already, can even result in loss of life and destruction of all residing beings. That is additionally the rationale why it’s known as Kala.
Kala Parinama
Kala Parinama – pure transformation of time – is one among the many chief etiological components for all illnesses. Illnesses are additionally manifested because of transformation of time. The curability and incurability of illnesses additionally will depend on time issue favouring or not favouring the people. The illness takes time to manifest and undergoes transformation by the 6 phases of kriya kala. Additionally they take time to go away and depend upon what kind of interventions are introduced into image and when. Medicines and therapies act at proper time too and needs to be favoured by the point to make a proper influence. Shelf lifetime of the medicines on which the outcomes rely is also influenced by time. Due to this fact, it is necessary for a doctor to learn about nuances and subtleties of the kala – time issue.
Kala itself brings about Parinama i.e. modifications or transformation.
In brief, that which we name ‘kala or time issue’ is definitely the ‘parinama’ i.e. modifications going down continuously. This displays that each single factor on this creation be it residing, non-living, large, small or minute is continually present process change on the graph of time and nothing ever escapes this alteration. That is the rationale why the time issue is taken into account as everlasting – has no starting, center and finish.
To sum up,
In his commentary, Grasp Dalhana, commentator of Sushruta Samhita defines and explains Kala as being ‘na liyate’ i.e. the time doesn’t adhere to even the minutest of the objects / substances as a result of the kala has ‘fixed motion’.
Kala, as stated, brings all residing issues in a single group owing to its nature of destroying all issues. It influences all issues and all residing beings and bestows happiness and distress on residing beings. Kala is that which shortens the life and likewise takes the residing beings nearer to loss of life. That’s the reason why ‘KALA’ can be a synonym of loss of life.
Being answerable for life and loss of life, and for all modifications that happen in all residing beings and issues and for influencing the whole lot within the creation, Kala is rightly known as as Swayambhu Bhagawan by Grasp Sushruta.