Kala Sharir: An Overview

Abstract

Being a medical science, Ayurveda is concerned with the human body. Ayurveda has a wide range of ideas on the human body. One of them is the concept of Kala. The term ‘Kala’ is used in classical texts to indicate a variety of things, including the indistinct, a unit of time, a membrane, etc. Kala refers to Guna or property and indicates its physiological entity. In the context of Sharir Rachana, demarcating line between Dhatu and Ashaya is referred to as a Kala and in contemporary science it can be interpreted as a minute or membranous structure. These Kalas are more than just simple anatomical structures; they also have a purpose and have certain characteristics. We learn about the significant bodily membranes and layers from Kala Sharir with respect to disease. They create and manage the Dhatus as well. There are seven different varieties of Kala described in ancient Ayurvedic literature by various eminent scholars; particular Kalas are found at particular locations. The proper conceptual understanding of these concepts is very essential. So here an attempt is being made to analyze the concept of Kala for its better understanding.