Viśvarūpa-Darśana Yoga · Verse 32
श्रीभगवानुवाच | कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो लोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्तः | ऋतेऽपि त्वां न भविष्यन्ति सर्वे येऽवस्थिताः प्रत्यनीकेषु योधाः
śrī-bhagavān uvāca | kālo 'smi loka-kṣaya-kṛt pravṛddho lokān samāhartum iha pravṛttaḥ | ṛte 'pi tvāṃ na bhaviṣyanti sarve ye 'vasthitāḥ praty-anīkeṣu yodhāḥ
The Blessed Lord said: I am time, the great destroyer of worlds, here engaged to annihilate all. Even without you, none of the warriors who stand in the opposing armies will remain.
The Lord reveals His identity as time. Kālaḥ asmi — I am time — not a separate deity, but the Lord Himself. Loka-kṣaya-kṛt — maker of the destruction of worlds.
Pravṛddhaḥ — great, increased — time in its destructive phase. Samāhartum — to gather/annihilate — time as reaper. Iha pravṛttaḥ — here engaged — on this battlefield.
Ṛte api tvām — even without you — Arjuna is instrument, not cause.