Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S

Kala means ‘time factor’. The time factor is everything in our life because it changes everything. Kala is responsible for our manifestation, existence and non-existence. Nothing escapes the influence of Kala in the creation. Kala brings about transformation in everything. In general terms it does not have origin or destruction but is responsible for both these to occur in all entities of creation. So, Kala is all powerful. Due to this, Kala is considered and worshiped as God. It is said ‘Kalaya Tasmai Namaha’ – ‘Oh divine time, I bow to you in reverence and salute to you in respect’.

Kala is also a dravya according to Ayurveda. It is one among the nine dravyas – substances. So, it has its own qualities and actions which cannot be separated from it.

Acharya Sushruta has given the status of God to Kala and has called 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 regimen. Master Sushruta introduces us to the term Kala and also explains its importance, giving it a status of God, at the beginning of this chapter. This is because Rtu – seasons are also a part and parcel (classification of one year has been made into six seasons) Kala. Samvatsara – year, i.e. time period of 1 year which is also a ‘kala’. This kala is once again divided into six seasons – which are also forms of kala since they fit into the time period of one year.

Why should Kala be considered 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 term used to explain anything which has been self-manifested and no one or nothing has created it.

Acharya Sushruta tells – ‘Kala means time factor and it shall be considered as a self-manifested GOD i.e. Bhagawan Swayambhu’. In other words, we can tell that Kala is a ‘self-born entity.

Reasons for Kala – the time factor being called as Bhagawan Swayambhu

1. Kala has no beginning, middle and end

–        No ‘adi’ – i.e. it has no beginning or origin – it cannot be created by anything or anyone and we cannot track its point of origin. For anything to begin or have origin, it should happen at a particular point of time. Kala itself is a ‘time factor’. But kala is responsible for the origin or birth of everything. It is the witness of many births, starts and firsts.

–        No ‘Madhya’ – i.e. it has no mid-point to show that ‘it was here’. This means to say that the time is progressive but neither its length nor the middle of it can be determined. Since Kala neither has birth (origin) or death (end), its middle point too cannot be determined.  But kala is responsible for the progression and existence of everything.

–        No ‘Nidhana’ – i.e. it has no death or end. If there is a question ‘where does this kala end?’ there will be no answer for it. This is because there will be no ‘end-point’ for kala. The reason is because kala also doesn’t have a point of origin or a mid-point. That which doesn’t have origin will also not have an end or death. But kala is responsible for the end or death of everything. It is the witness of the end.

2. Kala – determinant of life and death

Kala is a Calander which has on its canvas marked the creation – life and destruction – death of everyone and everything.  Master Sushruta tells that the Jivana – life and Marana – death of human beings is totally dependent on the Kala. Everyone has a date and time of birth. The same person will also have a date and time of death written in his or her destiny written by Kala and this is unseen. We also speak about ‘Akala Marana’ i.e. untimely and sudden death which was unexpected. It is the ‘Kala factor’ which determines it. Why are some people born healthy and some die in the womb or after birth? Why do some have longevity and the others might not? These factors are governed by Kala and Karma.

3. Kala – determinant of excellence and abnormalities of tastes

Each and every dravya – substance has its rasa – taste. Some substances will be enriched with their taste and some will have abnormal tastes. The tastes of all the substances are dependent on the kala. At the same time, the rasa sampat i.e. excellent qualities of the tastes and rasa vyapat i.e. the abnormalities of the tastes are also totally dependent on the kala. This is because it is the kala which brings about the transformation of taste and is responsible for their sampat and vyapat. In short, this means to tell that, the tastes of all the substances and their qualities either manifest or change due to the effect of Kala – time factor.  

4. Kala – influences everything

Each and everything in the world is influenced by Kala. Kala also brings about the changes in every single thing and causes transformation. It does not spare even the minutest of the things or substances from its influence.

Kala brings everything it influences under its umbrella. This means to say that since everything falls under the influence of Kala, all those things are said to be in one group. Kala brings all those things in one single group. This is also because Kala not only influences every single and minutest thing but also is responsible for changes occurring in them and also the destruction of all things. Kala, as said already, will also bring about death and destruction of all living beings. This is also the reason why it is called Kala.

Kala Parinama

Kala Parinama – natural transformation of time – is one among the chief etiological factors for all diseases. Diseases are also manifested due to transformation of time. The curability and incurability of diseases also depends on time factor favouring or not favouring the individuals. The disease takes time to manifest and undergoes transformation through the 6 stages of kriya kala. They also take time to go away and depend on what type of interventions are brought into picture and when. Medicines and therapies act at right time too and should be favoured by the time to make a right impact. Shelf life of the medicines on which the results depend also is influenced by time. Therefore, it is important for a physician to know about nuances and subtleties of the kala – time factor.

Kala itself brings about Parinama i.e. changes or transformation.

In short, that which we call ‘kala or time factor’ is actually the ‘parinama’ i.e. changes taking place constantly. This reflects that every single thing in this creation be it living, non-living, big, small or minute is constantly undergoing change on the graph of time and nothing ever escapes this change. This is the reason why the time factor is considered as eternal – has no beginning, middle and end.

To sum up,

In his commentary, Master Dalhana, commentator of Sushruta Samhita defines and explains Kala as being ‘na liyate’ i.e. the time does not adhere to even the minutest of the objects / substances because the kala has ‘constant movement’.

Kala, as said, brings all living things in one group owing to its nature of destroying all things. It influences all things and all living beings and bestows happiness and misery on living beings. Kala is that which shortens the life and also takes the living beings closer to death. That is the reason why ‘KALA’ is also a synonym of death.

Being responsible for life and death, and for all changes that occur in all living beings and things and for influencing everything in the creation, Kala is rightly called as Swayambhu Bhagawan by Master Sushruta.