kalpa

Kalpa is a term used in Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist cosmology to denote a vast period of time, often described as an eon or epoch. The word derives from Sanskrit and is commonly associated with the long cycles that structure the universe in these traditions. In Hindu cosmology, a Kalpa is specifically one day of Brahma, the creator deity.

One Kalpa measures 4,320,000,000 years. It is subdivided into 14 manvantaras and 15 sandhyas, with each manvantara lasting 306,720,000 years and each sandhya lasting 1,728,000 years. The sequence of creation and dissolution unfolds within a Kalpa, and at its end the world undergoes pralaya (dissolution) before the next Kalpa begins. Brahma’s day is followed by Brahma’s night, after which another Kalpa resumes the cycle.

In broader Indian cosmology, Kalpa is a generic term for a large cosmic time span and may be used to describe cycles far longer than human history. The term is also employed in Jain and Buddhist cosmology, where it denotes long cycles of time, though the specific lengths and structures of those cycles differ from Hindu calculations. In modern usage, Kalpa can function metaphorically to indicate an extremely long duration, rather than a precise numerical period.

Overall, Kalpa represents the idea of immense temporal scales that frame the cycles of creation, preservation, and dissolution that characterize many Indian religious and philosophical traditions.