Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Chapter 11: The Universal Form |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 11.32
kālo 'smi loka-kshaya-krit pravriddho
lokān samāhartum iha pravrittah
rite 'pi tvām na bhavishyanti sarve
ye 'vasthitāh pratyanīkeshu yodhāh
SYNONYMS
śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Personality of Godhead said; kālah — time; asmi — I am; loka — of the worlds; kshaya-krit — the destroyer; pravriddhah — great; lokān — all people; samāhartum — in destroying; iha — in this world; pravrittah — engaged; rite — without, except for; api — even; tvām — you; na — never; bhavishyanti — will be; sarve — all; ye — who; avasthitāh — situated; prati-anīkeshu — on the opposite sides; yodhāh — the soldiers.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Time I am, the great destroyer of the worlds, and I have come here to destroy all people. With the exception of you [the Pāndavas], all the soldiers here on both sides will be slain.
PURPORT
Although Arjuna knew that Krishna was his friend and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he was puzzled by the various forms exhibited by Krishna. Therefore he asked further about the actual mission of this devastating force. It is written in the Vedas that the Supreme Truth destroys everything, even the brāhmanas. As stated in the Katha Upanishad (1.2.25),
mrityur yasyopasecanam
Eventually all the brāhmanas, kshatriyas and everyone else are devoured like a meal by the Supreme. This form of the Supreme Lord is the all-devouring giant, and here Krishna presents Himself in that form of all-devouring time. Except for a few Pāndavas, everyone who was present on that battlefield would be devoured by Him. Arjuna was not in favor of the fight, and he thought it was better not to fight; then there would be no frustration. In reply, the Lord is saying that even if he did not fight, every one of them would be destroyed, for that was His plan. If Arjuna stopped fighting, they would die in another way. Death could not be checked, even if he did not fight. In fact, they were already dead. Time is destruction, and all manifestations are to be vanquished by the desire of the Supreme Lord. That is the law of nature.
Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness