ALPAKĀLA (M). A short time. (Alpa=short and Kāla =time). In the Bhāgavata the following definition is given of alpakāla: “Take two tender leaves of a lotus and place one on the other. Let a strong man take a sharp needle and thrust it hard at the leaves. The time taken for the needle to pierce one leaf and reach the other is alpakāla”. [Bhāgavata (Malayalam version), Skandha 3].