Mahākula in RV. 1.161,1 is better accepted in the sense of "1" one having
an eminent race of line of descent or generation"', as it. was quite usual
for the poetic composers of the Vedic hymns to call a camasa which owed
its origin to the skill of the Divine Maker Tvastr by the name of mahākula
as sprang.from a great origin thereby having a great lineage or a great,
generation. Thus, although mahākula is probably figuratively employed,the
word kula has in all likelihood the sense of a "social" group comprising
ancestors,forming the genealogical, line" or "one comprising people coming
down from, the same ancestor".This appears to be the earliest use of the
word kula.
Kulapāh in RV. X,179,2 and AV.VII,75(72),2 and kulapā(Fem.sg.)in
AV.1,14,3 might be the 'masters' and 'the mistress' of the houses respectively,whereby the meaning of the word kula transpires to be'the house'
but it does not seem to be just the synonym of grha which is already
widely in use in RV. in sense of 'the house'. It can on the other hand
be translated by the 'family of the nuclear or expanded type
The word kula-gopa occurring in IV.(TS.VI,2,5,5),we have already discussed,
possibly denoted 'the de facto protector of the kula' as
compared with the words kulapāh and kulapā of RV.& AV. which
possibly denoted 'the titular head(s) of the kula'and in these instances
kula seems to have denoted 'the extended or expanded family'.
Kula in kulinā and kula-ianih in AV(PAIPP).seems to have a "Specialisation of meaning,- of the elevative type" from the meaning denoted in mahākula in RV. Kullna by virtue of its suffix has already a meaning, similar to that of mahākula and kula-janih which appears to
be a forerunner of the later kula-stri, has the meaning possibly of
'women of unblemished line of descent' as opposed probably to the
meaning denoted by the later "kulatā".
Kule in the Rgvedic Khilas probably denoted 'in the race or the
line of descent (posterior)'.This would be also another specialisation
of the meaning found in Bk.I of RV.
Kula in the Brāhmanas generally exposes the second meaning of the
word, as found in RV.(Bk.X) & AV.(VII).The members of the kula in the
Brāhmanas are found to be the Brahmin guests and also those who have no
right of succession to the property of one to whom the kula belonged.
Thus if it denoted 'family! the family was of highly expanded size and
type. The first meaning (of mahākula) is also noticed in the Brāhmanas
(SB.XIV,4,3,32). In the Brāhmanas we find the second meaning taking a new
turn. Acāryakula denoting the expanded family of fche preceptor taking the
disciples as members of it gradually denoted ,;the house of the preceptor!.
In the kulas the servants were also members at time of the Upanisads.
In the Sutra period, the meaning of the word kula has developed in
many directions. Besides keeping the first meaning, 'race or line of descent'
and the specialised meaning of 'eminent lineag' which is more often used
in the later Va.Dh.S. etc., we find the concretisation of the abstract
sense 'line' to'members of the line, viz. the sons, the grandsons etc'.
This is found as late as in the Kāt.Sr.S. The meaning 'house'is established
in this period .Another sense of the word is developed in this period, viz.
'a body or number'
