काल

See also: कला, कळ, काळ, and काले

Hindi

Pronunciation

• (Delhi) IPA^(key): /kɑːl/, [käːl]

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Sanskrit काल (kālá).

Noun

काल • (kāl) m (Urdu spelling کال)

1. time (as a concept)
2. era, epoch, age, period
   • 2020 February 11, विनीत कुमार [vinīt kumār], “आज का पंचांग: राहु काल और शुभ मुहूर्त का आज क्या है समय, पढ़ें 11 फरवरी का पंचांग [āj kā pañcāṅg: rāhu kāl aur śubh muhūrt kā āj kyā hai samay, paṛhẽ 11 pharavrī kā pañcāṅg]”, in Lokmat News Hindi‎^[1]:

     देश की राजधानी नई दिल्ली में राहु काल दोपहर बाद 03.22 बजे से शुरू होगा और ये 04.45 बजे तक रहेगा।

     deś kī rājdhānī naī dillī mẽ rāhu kāl dophar bād 03.22 baje se śurū hogā aur ye 04.45 baje tak rahegā.

     In New Delhi, the nation's capital, the Rahu period [an astrologically inauspicious time] will begin at 3:22 in the afternoon and it will remain until 4:45.

3. (Hinduism) death (personified as Yama)
   • 2020 February 12, “जेल में बंद पुत्र से मिलकर लौट रही मां व भाई काल के गाल में समाए [jel mẽ band putra se milkar lauṭ rahī mā̃ va bhāī kāl ke gāl mẽ samāe]”, in Dainik Jagran‎^[2]:

     […] तभी रास्ते में काल बन कर आई बस ने इनकी बाइक में पीछे से धक्का मार दिया, जिससे दोनों की मौत घटनास्थल पर हो गई।

     […] tabhī rāste mẽ kāl ban kar āī bas ne inkī bāik mẽ pīche se dhakkā mār diyā, jisse donõ kī maut ghaṭnāsthal par ho gaī.

     […] and just then a bus arrived in the form of Death and rammed their bike from behind, due to which the deaths of both occurred at the site of the accident.

4. (grammar) tense

Declension

Declension of काल (masc cons-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	काल kāl	काल kāl
oblique	काल kāl	कालों kālõ
vocative	काल kāl	कालो kālo

Etymology 2

Inherited from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀅𑀕𑀸𑀮 (agāla), from Sanskrit अकाल (akāla, “bad time”).

Noun

काल • (kāl) m (Urdu spelling کال)

1. famine; bad times

Declension

Declension of काल (masc cons-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	काल kāl	काल kāl
oblique	काल kāl	कालों kālõ
vocative	काल kāl	कालो kālo

Konkani

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit काल (kāla).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kɑːl]

Adverb

काल • (kāl) (Latin script kal, Kannada script ಕಾಲ್)

1. yesterday

Marathi

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit काल (kāla)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kal/

Adverb

काल • (kāl)

1. yesterday

See also

Dates relative to today in Marathi (layout · text)
	–3	–2	–1	0	+1	+2	+3
direct speech	three days ago	two days ago	yesterday	today	tomorrow	in two days	in three days
	तेरवा (tervā)	परवा (parvā)	काल (kāl)	आज (āj̈)	उद्या (udyā)	परवा (parvā)	तेरवा (tervā)
reported speech	three days before, three days earlier	two days before, two days earlier	the day before	on that day	the next day	two days later	three days later
	[Term?]	[Term?]	[Term?]	[Term?]	[Term?]	[Term?]	[Term?]

References

• Berntsen, Maxine (1982–1983) “काल”, in A Basic Marathi-English Dictionary, New Delhi: American Institute of Indian Studies
• Molesworth, James Thomas (1857) “काल”, in A dictionary, Marathi and English, Bombay: Printed for government at the Bombay Education Society's Press
• Shridhar Ganesh Vaze (1911) “काल”, in The Aryabhusan School Dictionary, Poona: Arya-Bhushan Press

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• kāla (Latin script)
• 𑀓𑀸𑀮 (Brahmi script)
• কাল (Bengali script)
• කාල (Sinhalese script)
• ကာလ or ၵႃလ (Burmese script)
• กาล or กาละ (Thai script)
• ᨠᩣᩃ (Tai Tham script)
• ກາລ or ກາລະ (Lao script)
• កាល (Khmer script)
• 𑄇𑄂𑄣 (Chakma script)

Noun

काल m

1. Devanagari script form of kāla (“time”)
   • c. 500 AD, Kaccāyana, Pālivyākaraṇaṃ [Pali Grammar]‎^[3], page 254; republished as Satish Chandra Acharyya Vidyabhusana, editor, Kaccayana's Pali Grammar (edited in Devanagari character and translated into English), Calcutta, Bengal: Mahabodhi Society, 1901:

     काले इच्चेतं अस्हिकारत्थं वेदितब्बं॥

     Kāle iccetaṃ adhikāratthaṃ veditabbaṃ.

     Note that time when is the purpose of the section

Declension

Declension table of "काल" (masculine)

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	कालो (kālo)	काला (kālā)
Accusative (second)	कालं (kālaṃ)	काले (kāle)
Instrumental (third)	कालेन (kālena)	कालेहि (kālehi) or कालेभि (kālebhi)
Dative (fourth)	कालस्स (kālassa) or कालाय (kālāya) or कालत्थं (kālatthaṃ)	कालानं (kālānaṃ)
Ablative (fifth)	कालस्मा (kālasmā) or कालम्हा (kālamhā) or काला (kālā)	कालेहि (kālehi) or कालेभि (kālebhi)
Genitive (sixth)	कालस्स (kālassa)	कालानं (kālānaṃ)
Locative (seventh)	कालस्मिं (kālasmiṃ) or कालम्हि (kālamhi) or काले (kāle)	कालेसु (kālesu)
Vocative (calling)	काल (kāla)	काला (kālā)

Sanskrit

Alternative scripts

Alternative scripts

• কাল (Assamese script)
• ᬓᬵᬮ (Balinese script)
• কাল (Bengali script)
• 𑰎𑰯𑰩 (Bhaiksuki script)
• 𑀓𑀸𑀮 (Brahmi script)
• ကာလ (Burmese script)
• કાલ (Gujarati script)
• ਕਾਲ (Gurmukhi script)
• 𑌕𑌾𑌲 (Grantha script)
• ꦏꦴꦭ (Javanese script)
• 𑂍𑂰𑂪 (Kaithi script)
• ಕಾಲ (Kannada script)
• កាល (Khmer script)
• ກາລ (Lao script)
• കാല (Malayalam script)
• ᡬᠠ᠎᠊ᠠᠯᠠ (Manchu script)
• 𑘎𑘰𑘩 (Modi script)
• ᢉᠠᢗᠯᠠ᠋ (Mongolian script)
• 𑦮𑧑𑧉 (Nandinagari script)
• 𑐎𑐵𑐮 (Newa script)
• କାଲ (Odia script)
• ꢒꢵꢭ (Saurashtra script)
• 𑆑𑆳𑆬 (Sharada script)
• 𑖎𑖯𑖩 (Siddham script)
• කාල (Sinhalese script)
• 𑩜𑩛𑩽 (Soyombo script)
• 𑚊𑚭𑚥 (Takri script)
• கால (Tamil script)
• కాల (Telugu script)
• กาล (Thai script)
• ཀཱ་ལ (Tibetan script)
• 𑒏𑒰𑒪 (Tirhuta script)
• 𑨋𑨊𑨬 (Zanabazar Square script)

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /kɑː.lɐ/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑː.l̪ɐ/

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Dravidian, ultimately from Proto-Dravidian *kār; compare Tamil கார் (kār, “black”), கரு (karu), Kannada ಕಾಡು (kāḍu, “blackness, black”), ಕಪ್ಪು (kappu).

Adjective

काल • (kāla) stem

1. black, dark blue

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of काल (kāla)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	कालः kālaḥ	कालौ / काला¹ kālau / kālā¹	कालाः / कालासः¹ kālāḥ / kālāsaḥ¹
Vocative	काल kāla	कालौ / काला¹ kālau / kālā¹	कालाः / कालासः¹ kālāḥ / kālāsaḥ¹
Accusative	कालम् kālam	कालौ / काला¹ kālau / kālā¹	कालान् kālān
Instrumental	कालेन kālena	कालाभ्याम् kālābhyām	कालैः / कालेभिः¹ kālaiḥ / kālebhiḥ¹
Dative	कालाय kālāya	कालाभ्याम् kālābhyām	कालेभ्यः kālebhyaḥ
Ablative	कालात् kālāt	कालाभ्याम् kālābhyām	कालेभ्यः kālebhyaḥ
Genitive	कालस्य kālasya	कालयोः kālayoḥ	कालानाम् kālānām
Locative	काले kāle	कालयोः kālayoḥ	कालेषु kāleṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

Feminine ī-stem declension of काली (kālī)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	काली kālī	काल्यौ / काली¹ kālyau / kālī¹	काल्यः / कालीः¹ kālyaḥ / kālīḥ¹
Vocative	कालि kāli	काल्यौ / काली¹ kālyau / kālī¹	काल्यः / कालीः¹ kālyaḥ / kālīḥ¹
Accusative	कालीम् kālīm	काल्यौ / काली¹ kālyau / kālī¹	कालीः kālīḥ
Instrumental	काल्या kālyā	कालीभ्याम् kālībhyām	कालीभिः kālībhiḥ
Dative	काल्यै kālyai	कालीभ्याम् kālībhyām	कालीभ्यः kālībhyaḥ
Ablative	काल्याः / काल्यै² kālyāḥ / kālyai²	कालीभ्याम् kālībhyām	कालीभ्यः kālībhyaḥ
Genitive	काल्याः / काल्यै² kālyāḥ / kālyai²	काल्योः kālyoḥ	कालीनाम् kālīnām
Locative	काल्याम् kālyām	काल्योः kālyoḥ	कालीषु kālīṣu
Notes	¹Vedic ²Brāhmaṇas

Neuter a-stem declension of काल (kāla)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	कालम् kālam	काले kāle	कालानि / काला¹ kālāni / kālā¹
Vocative	काल kāla	काले kāle	कालानि / काला¹ kālāni / kālā¹
Accusative	कालम् kālam	काले kāle	कालानि / काला¹ kālāni / kālā¹
Instrumental	कालेन kālena	कालाभ्याम् kālābhyām	कालैः / कालेभिः¹ kālaiḥ / kālebhiḥ¹
Dative	कालाय kālāya	कालाभ्याम् kālābhyām	कालेभ्यः kālebhyaḥ
Ablative	कालात् kālāt	कालाभ्याम् kālābhyām	कालेभ्यः kālebhyaḥ
Genitive	कालस्य kālasya	कालयोः kālayoḥ	कालानाम् kālānām
Locative	काले kāle	कालयोः kālayoḥ	कालेषु kāleṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

Descendants

• Dardic:
  • Kashmiri: کالہٕ (kālụ)
  • Wotapuri-Katarqalai: kāl
• Pali: kāḷa, kāḷaka
• Prakrit: 𑀓𑀸𑀮 (kāla), 𑀓𑀸𑀮𑀬 (kālaya) (see there for further descendants)

Noun

काल • (kāla) stem, m

1. black, dark blue colour
2. pupil (dark part of the eye)

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of काल (kāla)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	कालः kālaḥ	कालौ / काला¹ kālau / kālā¹	कालाः / कालासः¹ kālāḥ / kālāsaḥ¹
Vocative	काल kāla	कालौ / काला¹ kālau / kālā¹	कालाः / कालासः¹ kālāḥ / kālāsaḥ¹
Accusative	कालम् kālam	कालौ / काला¹ kālau / kālā¹	कालान् kālān
Instrumental	कालेन kālena	कालाभ्याम् kālābhyām	कालैः / कालेभिः¹ kālaiḥ / kālebhiḥ¹
Dative	कालाय kālāya	कालाभ्याम् kālābhyām	कालेभ्यः kālebhyaḥ
Ablative	कालात् kālāt	कालाभ्याम् kālābhyām	कालेभ्यः kālebhyaḥ
Genitive	कालस्य kālasya	कालयोः kālayoḥ	कालानाम् kālānām
Locative	काले kāle	कालयोः kālayoḥ	कालेषु kāleṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

See also

Colors in Sanskrit · रङ्ग (raṅga) (layout · text)

श्वेत (śveta), शुक्ल (śukla), शुभ्र (śubhra), धवल (dhavala)	धूमल (dhūmala), धूसर (dhūsara)	कृष्ण (kṛṣṇa), काल (kāla), श्याम (śyāma), श्याव (śyāva)
रक्त (rakta), रुधिर (rudhira), रोहित (rohita), लोहित (lohita)	नारङ्ग (nāraṅga); कद्रु (kadru), बभ्रु (babhru)	पीत (pīta); पाण्डु (pāṇḍu)
	हरित (harita), पलाश (palāśa)
		नील (nīla)
	शोण (śoṇa), नीललोहित (nīlalohita)	पाटल (pāṭala)

Noun

काल • (kāla) stem, n

1. a black kind of agarwood from Agallochum (now Aquilaria)
2. a kind of perfume (कक्कोलक (kakkolaka))
3. iron

Declension

Neuter a-stem declension of काल (kāla)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	कालम् kālam	काले kāle	कालानि / काला¹ kālāni / kālā¹
Vocative	काल kāla	काले kāle	कालानि / काला¹ kālāni / kālā¹
Accusative	कालम् kālam	काले kāle	कालानि / काला¹ kālāni / kālā¹
Instrumental	कालेन kālena	कालाभ्याम् kālābhyām	कालैः / कालेभिः¹ kālaiḥ / kālebhiḥ¹
Dative	कालाय kālāya	कालाभ्याम् kālābhyām	कालेभ्यः kālebhyaḥ
Ablative	कालात् kālāt	कालाभ्याम् kālābhyām	कालेभ्यः kālebhyaḥ
Genitive	कालस्य kālasya	कालयोः kālayoḥ	कालानाम् kālānām
Locative	काले kāle	कालयोः kālayoḥ	कालेषु kāleṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

Etymology 2

Of uncertain origin.

Perhaps an l-form of कार (kāra, “action”), taking "decisive action" as the connotation.

Alternatively, derived from Proto-Indo-European *kʷel- (“to move; to turn (around)”); compare Proto-Slavic *vermę̀ (“period of time”) for a parallel semantic development from an earlier "turn" meaning (albeit from a different root).

Hirt compares this to Gothic 𐍈𐌴𐌹𐌻𐌰 (ƕeila, “a while”), while Güntert compares this to Ancient Greek καιρός (kairós, “measure, time, season”), and takes the l-consonant in काल (kāla) as a preservation of a dialectal form in order to distinguish from कार (kāra).

Probably not a vṛddhi derivative of the root कल् (kal, “to calculate or enumerate”).

Noun

काल • (kālá) stem, m

1. a fixed or right point of time, a space of time, time (in general)
2. the proper time or season for (+genitive, dative, locative, in compound, infinitive, or subjunctive with यद् (yad)
   • c. 1700 BCE – 1200 BCE, Ṛgveda 10.42.9:

     उ॒त प्र॒हाम॑ति॒दीव्या॑ जयाति कृ॒तं यच्छ्व॒घ्नी वि॑चि॒नोति॑ का॒ले।
     यो दे॒वका॑मो॒ न धना॑ रुणद्धि॒ समित्तं रा॒या सृ॑जति स्व॒धावा॑न्॥

     utá prahā́matidī́vyā jayāti kṛtáṃ yácchvaghnī́ vicinóti kālé.
     yó devákāmo ná dhánā ruṇaddhi sámíttáṃ rāyā́ sṛjati svadhā́vān.

     Having driven away the assailant, he triumphs; at the time of battle he selects his antagonist as does a gambler. The man who, desirous of gratifying the gods, withholds not his riches, him the powerful Indra associates with wealth.

3. occasion, circumstance
4. season
5. hour
6. a period of time, time of the world (युग (yuga))
7. measure of time, prosody
8. a section, part
9. the end
10. death by age
11. time (as leading to events, the causes of which are imperceptible to the mind of man), destiny, fate
12. time (as destroying all things), death, time of death (often personified and represented with the attributes of Yama, regent of the dead, or even identified with him
    • c. 400 BCE, Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 11.32:

      कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो लोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्तः।
      ऋतेऽपि त्वां न भविष्यन्ति सर्वे येऽवस्थिताः प्रत्यनीकेषु योधाः

      kāloʼsmi lokakṣayakṛtpravṛddho lokānsamāhartumiha pravṛttaḥ.
      ṛteʼpi tvāṃ na bhaviṣyanti sarve yeʼvasthitāḥ pratyanīkeṣu yodhāḥ

      I am mighty time, the source of destruction that comes forth to annhilate the worlds.
      Even without your participation, the warriors arrayed in the opposing army shall cease to exist.

13. Kāla, personified is also a देवर्षि (devarṣi) in Indra's court, and a son of Dhruva

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of काल (kālá)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	कालः kāláḥ	कालौ / काला¹ kālaú / kālā́¹	कालाः / कालासः¹ kālā́ḥ / kālā́saḥ¹
Vocative	काल kā́la	कालौ / काला¹ kā́lau / kā́lā¹	कालाः / कालासः¹ kā́lāḥ / kā́lāsaḥ¹
Accusative	कालम् kālám	कालौ / काला¹ kālaú / kālā́¹	कालान् kālā́n
Instrumental	कालेन kāléna	कालाभ्याम् kālā́bhyām	कालैः / कालेभिः¹ kālaíḥ / kālébhiḥ¹
Dative	कालाय kālā́ya	कालाभ्याम् kālā́bhyām	कालेभ्यः kālébhyaḥ
Ablative	कालात् kālā́t	कालाभ्याम् kālā́bhyām	कालेभ्यः kālébhyaḥ
Genitive	कालस्य kālásya	कालयोः kāláyoḥ	कालानाम् kālā́nām
Locative	काले kālé	कालयोः kāláyoḥ	कालेषु kāléṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

Derived terms

• कालकूट (kālakū́ṭa, “highest death”)

Descendants

• Dardic:
  • Dameli: kâl
  • Indus Kohistani: kāla, kalaĩ
  • Kalami: kāl
  • Kalasha: kau, kālūna
  • Kashmiri: کال (kāl), کالہٕ (kālụ)
  • Khowar: کل (kala)
  • Pashayi:
    • Northeast Pashayi: kōl
    • Northwest Pashayi: kāl
  • Shina: کال (kāl)
  • Shumashti: kāl
  • Tirahi: kāl
  • Torwali: کال (kāl)
  • Wotapuri-Katarqalai: kāl
  • → Proto-Nuristani:
    • Ashkun: kal
      • ⇒ Ashkun: awat-kāl
    • ⇒ Kamkata-viri: awte-kāl
    • ⇒ Prasuni: wūt-kal
    • Waigali: kāl
• Pali: kāla
  • → Khmer: កាល (kaal)
• Ashokan Prakrit: 𑀓𑀮 (kala), 𑀓𑀸𑀮 (kāla)
  • Prakrit: 𑀓𑀸𑀮 (kāla) (see there for further descendants)
• → Javanese: ꦏꦭ / kala
• → Malay: kala
  • Indonesian: kala
• → Tamil: காலம் (kālam), கால் (kāl)
• → Malayalam: കാലം (kālaṁ)

References

• Monier Williams (1899) “काल”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 0277.
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (1992) Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎^[4] (in German), volume 1, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 343
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (1956) Kurzgefasstes Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen [A Concise Etymological Sanskrit Dictionary]‎^[5] (in German), volume 1, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, pages 202-203
• Agallochum at Plants of the World Online