काल

See also: काले

Hindi

Pronunciation

(Delhi Hindi) IPA^(key): /kɑːl/, [käːl̪]

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Sanskrit काल (kālá).

Noun

काल • (kāl) m (Urdu spelling کال‎)

time (as a concept)
era, epoch, age, period
- 2020 February 11, विनीत कुमार, “आज का पंचांग: राहु काल और शुभ मुहूर्त का आज क्या है समय, पढ़ें 11 फरवरी का पंचांग”, in Lokmat News Hindi‎:
  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.
(Hinduism) death (personified as Yama)
- 2020 February 12, “जेल में बंद पुत्र से मिलकर लौट रही मां व भाई काल के गाल में समाए”, in Dainik Jagran‎:
  […] 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.
(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)

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

Pali

Alternative forms

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

Devanagari script form of kāla (“time”)
- c. 500 AD, Kaccāyana, Pālivyākaraṇaṃ [Pali Grammar]‎ (in Pali), 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 forms

Alternative scripts

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

Pronunciation

(Vedic) IPA^(key): /kɑː.lɐ/

(Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑː.l̪ɐ/

Etymology 1

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

Adjective

काल • (kāla)

black, dark blue

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of काल (kāla)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	कालः kālaḥ	कालौ kālau	कालाः / कालासः¹ kālāḥ / kālāsaḥ¹
Vocative	काल kāla	कालौ kālau	कालाः / कालासः¹ kālāḥ / kālāsaḥ¹
Accusative	कालम् kālam	कालौ kālau	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 kālyāḥ	कालीभ्याम् kālībhyām	कालीभ्यः kālībhyaḥ
Genitive	काल्याः kālyāḥ	काल्योः kālyoḥ	कालीनाम् kālīnām
Locative	काल्याम् kālyām	काल्योः kālyoḥ	कालीषु kālīṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

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

Helu Prakrit:
- Dhivehi: ކަޅު‎ (kaḷu)
- Sinhalese: කළු (kaḷu)
Magadhi Prakrit:
- Assamese: ক‌’লা (kola)
- Bengali: কালো (kalo)
- Magahi: करिआ (kariā)
- Maithili: कारी (kārī)
- Oriya: କଲା (kôla)
Maharastri Prakrit: 𑀓𑀸𑀮 (kāla)
- Konkani: काळें (kāḷẽ)
- Marathi: काळा (kāḷā)
Pali: kāḷa
Sauraseni Prakrit:
- Gujarati: કાળું (kāḷũ)
- Hindustani:
  Hindi: काला (kālā)
  Urdu: کالا‎ (kālā)
- Nepali: कालो (kālo)
- Punjabi:
  Gurmukhi: ਕਾਲ਼ਾ (kāḷā)
  Shahmukhi: کالا‎ (kālā)
- Romani: kalo
  - Angloromani: kalo, kala, kali, kalli, kallo, kawla, kawlo, kawlu, kora, kowlo, kula
  - Balkan Romani: kalo
  - Baltic Romani: kalo, kaalò
  - Caló: caló (“tanned, dark-skinned; Romani”)
  - Carpathian Romani: kalo, kaalo; kaulo; kálo
  - Kalo Finnish Romani: kaalo
  - Sinte Romani: kalo
  - Welsh Romani: kålo

Noun

काल • (kāla) m

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

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of काल (kāla)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	कालः kālaḥ	कालौ kālau	कालाः / कालासः¹ kālāḥ / kālāsaḥ¹
Vocative	काल kāla	कालौ kālau	कालाः / कालासः¹ kālāḥ / kālāsaḥ¹
Accusative	कालम् kālam	कालौ kālau	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

Noun

काल • (kāla) n

a black kind of agarwood from Agallochum (now Aquilaria)
a kind of perfume (कक्कोलक (kakkolaka))
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

Vṛddhi derivative of the root कल् (kal, “to calculate or enumerate”).

Noun

काल • (kālá) m

a fixed or right point of time, a space of time, time (in general)
the proper time or season for (+genitive, dative, locative, in compound, infinitive, or subjunctive with यद् (yad)
- RV 10.42.9b
  उत परहामतिदीव्या जयाति कर्तं यच्छ्वघ्नी विचिनोतिकाले |
  यो देवकामो न धना रुणद्धि समित तं रायास्र्जति सवधावान ||
  uta prahāmatidīvyā jayāti kṛtaṃ yacchvaghnī vicinotikāle |
  yo devakāmo na dhanā ruṇaddhi samit taṃ rāyāsṛjati svadhāvān ||
  Yea, by superior play he wins advantage, when he, a gambler, piles his gains in season.
  Celestial-natured, he o’erwhelms with riches the devotee who keeps not back his treasure.
kālaḥ prasthānasya or prasthānāya or prasthāne — time for departure
kriyā-kāla — time for action
nā-yaṃ kālo vilambitum — this is not the time to delay
kālo yad bhuñjīta bhavān — it is time for you to eat
occasion, circumstance
season
meal-time (twice a day)
ubhau kālau — in the morning and in the evening
ṣaṣṭhe kāle — in the evening of the third day
ṣaṣṭhā-nna-kāla — one who eats only at the sixth meal-time, i.e. who passes five meals without eating and has no meal till the evening of the third day; or without अन्न (anna):
caturtha-kālam — at the fourth meal-time, i.e. at the evening of the second day
hour, hence:
ṣaṣṭhe kāle 'hnaḥ — at the sixth hour of the day, i.e. at noon
a period of time, time of the world (= युग (yuga))
measure of time, prosody
a section, part
the end
death by age
time (as leading to events, the causes of which are imperceptible to the mind of man), destiny, fate
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: hence
kālo 'smi loka-kṣaya-kṛt pravṛddho
kālam-√i or kālaṃ-√kṛ — to die; kāla in this sense is frequently connected with अन्तक (antaka), मृत्यु (mṛtyu) e.g.
abhy-adhāvata prajāḥ kāla ivā-ntakaḥ — he attacked the people like Time the destroyer; compare कालान्तक (kālā*ntaka)
'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 kālaú	कालाः / कालासः¹ kālā́ḥ / kālā́saḥ¹
Vocative	काल kā́la	कालौ kā́lau	कालाः / कालासः¹ kā́lāḥ / kā́lāsaḥ¹
Accusative	कालम् kālám	कालौ kālaú	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

Descendants

Helu Prakrit:
- Sinhalese: කල (kala)
Magadhi Prakrit:
- Assamese: কাল (kal)
- Bengali: কাল (kal)
Maharastri Prakrit:
- Marathi: काळ (kāḷ)
Pali: kāla
- → Khmer: កាល (kaal)
Sauraseni Prakrit:
- Hindi: काल (kāl)
→ Javanese: ꦏꦭ/ kala
→ Malay: kala
- Indonesian: kala
→ Tamil: காலம் (kālam), கால் (kāl)
→ Malayalam: കാലം (kālaṃ)

References

Monier Williams (1899), “काल”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, OCLC 458052227, page 0277.
Agallochum at The Plant List