Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Kala means ‘time issue’. The time issue is all the things in our life as a result of it modifications all the things. Kala is chargeable for our manifestation, existence and non-existence. Nothing escapes the affect of Kala within the creation. Kala brings about transformation in all the things. Usually phrases it doesn’t have origin or destruction however is chargeable for each these to happen in all entities of creation. So, Kala is all highly effective. Attributable to this, Kala is taken into account and worshiped as God. It’s mentioned ‘Kalaya Tasmai Namaha’ – ‘Oh divine time, I bow to you in reverence and salute to you in respect’.
Kala can be a dravya in keeping with 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 in addition explains its significance, giving it a standing of God, in the beginning of this chapter. It’s because Rtu – seasons are additionally an element 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 monitor its level of origin. For something to start or have origin, it ought to occur at a selected level of time. Kala itself is a ‘time issue’. However kala is chargeable for the origin or beginning of all the things. 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 beginning (origin) or loss of life (finish), its center level too can’t be decided. However kala is chargeable for the development and existence of all the things.
– No ‘Nidhana’ – i.e. it has no loss of life or finish. If there’s a query ‘the place does this kala finish?’ there might be no reply for it. It’s because there might 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 chargeable for the tip or loss of life of all the things. 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 all the things. 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 beginning. The identical individual 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 sudden. It’s the ‘Kala issue’ which determines it. Why are some folks born wholesome and a few die within the womb or after beginning? Why do some have longevity and the others may not? 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 might be enriched with their style and a few could 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 chargeable for their sampat and vyapat. Briefly, 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 all the things
Every and all the things 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 all the things it influences below its umbrella. This implies to say that since all the things falls below the affect of Kala, all these issues are mentioned 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 chargeable for modifications occurring in them and in addition the destruction of all issues. Kala, as mentioned already, can even result in loss of life and destruction of all dwelling 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 ailments. Illnesses are additionally manifested as a result of transformation of time. The curability and incurability of ailments additionally is dependent upon time issue favouring or not favouring the people. The illness takes time to manifest and undergoes transformation by way of the 6 levels of kriya kala. Additionally they take time to go away and rely upon what kind of interventions are introduced into image and when. Medicines and therapies act at proper time too and must be favoured by the point to make a proper impression. 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.
Briefly, that which we name ‘kala or time issue’ is definitely the ‘parinama’ i.e. modifications happening consistently. This displays that each single factor on this creation be it dwelling, non-living, large, small or minute is consistently present process change on the graph of time and nothing ever escapes this variation. 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 mentioned, brings all dwelling issues in a single group owing to its nature of destroying all issues. It influences all issues and all dwelling beings and bestows happiness and distress on dwelling beings. Kala is that which shortens the life and in addition takes the dwelling beings nearer to loss of life. That’s the reason why ‘KALA’ can be a synonym of loss of life.
Being chargeable for life and loss of life, and for all modifications that happen in all dwelling beings and issues and for influencing all the things within the creation, Kala is rightly known as as Swayambhu Bhagawan by Grasp Sushruta.