Bhagavad Gita 11.32 — Kalo'smi Loka-kshaya-krit — Word-by-Word Meaning
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ११.३२ — कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्
Every Sanskrit word explained in English
Word-by-Word Breakdown
श्रीभगवानुवाच
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
the Supreme Lord said
कालः
kālaḥ
time
अस्मि
asmi
I am
लोकक्षयकृत्
loka-kṣhaya-kṛit
the source of destruction of the worlds
प्रवृद्धः
pravṛiddhaḥ
mighty
लोकान्
lokān
the worlds
समाहर्तुम्
samāhartum
annihilation
इह
iha
this world
प्रवृत्तः
pravṛittaḥ
participation
ऋते
ṛite
without
अपि
api
even
त्वाम्
tvām
you
न भविष्यन्ति
na bhaviṣhyanti
shall cease to exist
सर्वे
sarve
all
ये
ye
who
अवस्थिताः
avasthitāḥ
arrayed
प्रत्यनीकेषु
prati-anīkeṣhu
in the opposing army
योधाः
yodhāḥ
the warriors
Complete Translation
The Blessed Lord said, "I am the full-grown, world-destroying Time, now engaged in destroying the worlds. Even without you, none of the warriors arrayed in the hostile armies will live."
Origin & History
Source: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11, Verse 32
Author: Sage Veda Vyasa (as part of the Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva)
Period: Ancient (traditionally Dvapara Yuga; text compiled c. 5th century BCE – 2nd century BCE)
This verse occurs in the eleventh chapter, the Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga, where Krishna grants Arjuna divine vision to behold His cosmic Universal Form. Overwhelmed and terrified, Arjuna asks who this fierce form is. Krishna answers with this verse, declaring Himself to be world-destroying Time, already engaged in the annihilation of the assembled armies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Kalo'smi" mean?▼
"Kalo'smi" means "I am Time". In this verse Krishna reveals Himself as Kala — eternal Time — the cosmic force that creates, sustains and ultimately destroys all things. It is His declaration of being the supreme power behind the dissolution of the worlds.
Why did Krishna speak this verse to Arjuna?▼
Arjuna hesitated to fight in the Kurukshetra war. By revealing His Universal Form and declaring Himself as all-consuming Time, Krishna showed Arjuna that the outcome was already ordained; Arjuna was only an instrument (nimitta-matra). This freed him from the burden of being the cause of death and motivated him to do his duty.
Is this verse connected to a famous modern quotation?▼
Yes. Physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer famously recalled this verse — "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds" — upon witnessing the first atomic bomb test, drawing from translations of Bhagavad Gita 11.32.
How should one meditate on this verse?▼
Contemplate the impermanence of all created things and the eternity of the Lord. Rather than fear, the verse should awaken surrender and courage — the understanding that one should perform one's righteous duty while leaving the results to the Divine.
Ready to start chanting?
See Benefits & How to Chant →