Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 11 · Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga

Bhagavad Gita 11.32 कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो

Sri Krishna Chapter 11, Verse 32 With word-by-word notes

श्लोक 11.32

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो
लोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्तः ।
ऋतेऽपि त्वां न भविष्यन्ति सर्वे
येऽवस्थिताः प्रत्यनीकेषु योधाः ॥

śrībhagavānuvāca |
kālo'smi lokakṣayakṛtpravṛddho
lokānsamāhartumiha pravṛttaḥ |
ṛte'pi tvāṃ na bhaviṣyanti sarve
ye'vasthitāḥ pratyanīkeṣu yodhāḥ ||

हिन्दी अर्थ

श्रीभगवान बोले: मैं लोकों का नाश करने वाला बढ़ा हुआ काल हूँ और इस समय इन लोगों का संहार करने में लगा हूँ। तुम्हारे बिना भी विरोधी सेनाओं में खड़े ये सब योद्धा नहीं बचेंगे।

Meaning in English

The Blessed Lord said: I am Time, grown mighty, the destroyer of worlds, now engaged in sweeping away these people. Even without you, none of the warriors arrayed in the opposing armies will survive.

Bhagavad Gita 11.32 — word by word

WordTransliterationMeaning
कालः अस्मिkālaḥ asmiI am Time
लोकक्षयकृत्loka-kṣaya-kṛtthe destroyer of worlds
प्रवृद्धःpravṛddhaḥmighty, fully grown
लोकान्lokānthe worlds, these people
समाहर्तुम्samāhartumto destroy, to withdraw
इह प्रवृत्तःiha pravṛttaḥengaged here
ऋते अपि त्वाम्ṛte api tvāmeven without you
न भविष्यन्तिna bhaviṣyantiwill not survive
सर्वेsarveall
ये अवस्थिताःye avasthitāḥwho are arrayed
प्रत्यनीकेषुpratyanīkeṣuin the opposing armies
योधाःyodhāḥwarriors

Explanation

I am Time, the mighty destroyer of worlds, now engaged in destroying these people. Even without you, all these warriors arrayed in the opposing armies will cease to be.

Spoken within the awe-inspiring vision of the cosmic form, the verse reveals the Divine as Time, which ends all things. J. Robert Oppenheimer famously recalled a translation of it — "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds" — after the first atomic test in 1945. In the next verse Krishna tells Arjuna to be simply his instrument; the outcome is already in God's hands.

भावार्थ

श्री भगवान ने कहा — मैं लोकों का नाश करने वाला बढ़ा हुआ काल हूँ और इस समय इन लोगों का संहार करने में लगा हूँ। तुम्हारे बिना भी विरोधी सेनाओं में खड़े ये सभी योद्धा नहीं बचेंगे।

Living it today

Remember that time takes everything in the end — let that keep you humble and help you use each day well.

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita 11.32?

I am Time, the mighty destroyer of worlds, now engaged in destroying these people. Even without you, all these warriors arrayed in the opposing armies will cease to be.

Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 11.32?

Sri Krishna speaks this verse, in Chapter 11 (Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga) of the Bhagavad Gita.

How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 11.32 in daily life?

Remember that time takes everything in the end — let that keep you humble and help you use each day well.

Reflected on verse 11.32?

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