Shloka 21

The Killing of Keśī and Vyomāsura; Nārada’s Prophetic Praise of Kṛṣṇa

Devanagari script

अथ ते कालरूपस्य क्षपयिष्णोरमुष्य वै । अक्षौहिणीनां निधनं द्रक्ष्याम्यर्जुनसारथे: ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

atha te kāla-rūpasya kṣapayiṣṇor amuṣya vai akṣauhiṇīnāṁ nidhanaṁ drakṣyāmy arjuna-sāratheḥ

Translation

ต่อจากนั้นข้าพเจ้าจะเห็นพระองค์ปรากฏเป็นกาลเวลาอันมีรูป เป็นสารถีของอรชุน และทรงทำลายกองทัพมหึมาเพื่อปลดภาระแผ่นดิน

Synonyms

अथthen

तेof you/your

कालरूपस्यof (your) form as Time

क्षपयिष्णोःof the destroyer (about to annihilate)

अमुष्यof that (person)

वैindeed

अक्षौहिणीनाम्of the armies (akṣauhiṇīs)

निधनम्destruction

द्रक्ष्यामिI shall see

अर्जुनसारथेःof Arjuna's charioteer

Characters & Entities

Kṛṣṇa

Arjuna

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna as Time (Kāla)?

This verse portrays Kṛṣṇa as kāla-rūpa—Time itself—who ultimately consumes all beings and arrangements, including vast armies.

Why is Krishna called Arjuna’s charioteer (Arjuna-sārathi) in the Bhagavatam?

The title highlights Kṛṣṇa’s intimate role in the Kurukṣetra context—guiding Arjuna externally as his charioteer and internally as the supreme director of destiny.

Practical application: how can a devotee relate to the teaching that God is Time?

Remembering Time as the Lord encourages urgency in bhakti—using life wisely for devotion, humility, and dharma rather than pride in temporary power.