[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [General history and culture](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general) › [Ancient Indian Historical Tradition](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.pargiter-1922) › c8.3 # Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c8.3 Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c8.3 - **Language:** English ### [c8.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.pargiter-1922.c8.3) The term kalpa in a precise sense means a vast cosmic period, but this seems to have been a later application of it, when the scheme of cosmological time was developed. It is not seldom used in a simpler and unspecialized way to mean ‘a period of time’, ‘an age’, and this seems to have been its earlier signification, as where it is said, wise men knew the old tales of the old time.⁹ In this way kalpa is often used loosely;¹⁰ and so also purā-kalpa,¹¹ as where it is declared that purā-kalpa-vids knew a particular vrata,¹² and proclaim songs sung by king Ambariṣa.¹ Accordingly \*kalpa\* must have this general sense when it is used in the above words \*kalpa-jókti\* and \*kalpa-vākya\*. - [Previous: c8.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.pargiter-1922.c8.2) - [Next: c8.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.pargiter-1922.c8.4) - [Up: c8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.pargiter-1922.c8) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.pargiter-1922.c8.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.pargiter-1922.c8.3) · Pramāṇa