Sambodhi 1993 Vol 18

Author(s): J B Shah, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 86

Vol. XVIII, '92-'93 Indian Views :
It is therefore interesting to review briefly, the Indian concepts of Time. In India Time is known as Kāla. The earliest evidence about the concepts of Kāla are noted in the Atharvaveda, XIX.53.54. Analysis of the Sukta indicates that here Kāla is the Almighty force or deity of the universe. It is the cause of the phenomenal world and suggests its linear, cyclic and relative concepts.
This Vedic trend continues in the succeeding literature. The Mahābhārata has many references from which these concepts could be easily inferred. In the Mahābhārata XII.220.35, Kāla is defined as that which is used in counting all creation.
This idea is expressed in Bhagavad Gitā 10.30. The all destroying capacity of Kāla is noted in 11.32. Interestingly, the same idea of destruction and defeat at appropriate time is expressed by Rsi Krsna in the Rgveda X.42.9. This is the only reference of.
The repeated cycle of creation, stability and destruction is given a relative pattern also Mahābhārata XII.224. This idea of Kalpa is noted by Matsya, 289, Visnu I.3.
The grammarians have considered the Kāla in great details. They consider Kāla in the phenomenal world as a powerful entity. Specially Bharthari in his Vākyapadiya considers Kāla and its powers of stopping and encouraging the activities in the phenomenal world as the primary cause of order of things. It also has the power of aging. Its definition include the linear and cyclic and relative elements.
The calculations of Kalpa and Yugas are also based on the principle that “One year of Men is a day of Gods and such 360 days are one divine year. This is further expanded in the case of Brahmā. These calculations indicate that they are highly enlarged version of Human experience. They use the years and the decimal system of reconing time.
These ideas of Time are the works of Astronomers, which indicate that four Yugas cover 4,320,000 years of Men and 12,000 years of Gods. These are again developed in Manvantarās and Kalpa that is computed as 4,320,000,000 x 1000 by Brahmagupta. Those computed by Aryabhata are 4,354,560,000 years x 1008 for a Kalpa. They indicate the astronomors' different views of the cyclic phenomenon with its relative lengths. However, there are other notions of Time in the Vedic Philosophies. The Vaišeșikas
consider time as one of the Dravya with its Guna and Karma. Its indicators are also noted as earlier, contemporary, later, speedy and slow.
The other notion places time under a powerful deity like Išvara, Šiva, Vişnu, Svetāśvatara Upanişad asks a question about the ultimate cause of the phenomenal world and after considering several options, including Kāla, opines in favour of Isa. This tendency increases in the Purānas and Philosophy. In the Purānas, time is placed under the Supreme deities like Siva, Visnu and others, Philosophy places Time under the indescribable Brahman. Under this idea also Time-less becomes manifest in the world as time. Both these ideas reject Time as the Supreme deity, but its linear, cyclic and relative pattern is accepted.