Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s11.322

v1.c3.s11.322

Kāla, the generic expression for ‘time,’ first occurs in the Rigveda,¹ where, however, it is used only once, in the late tenth book. It is known to the Atharvaveda,² where Kāla has already developed the sense of time as fate. The word is frequent in the Brāhmaṇas,³ superseding the earlier use of Ṛtu. The more general division of time is into ‘past’ (bhūta), ‘present’ (bhavat), and ‘future’ (bhaviṣyat).⁴ For other divisions see Ahan, Māsa, Saṃvatsara.