Tell me, who are You, in this terrible form? Salutation to You! O Supreme Deity, have mercy. O Primeval One, I desire to know You, for indeed I know not Your purpose. (Bhagavad Gita Chapter XI – Verse 31)
Be merciful, O Bhagavan. You have shown me Your wonderful form; now kindly explain the meaning, for that is not yet clear to me. And who are You? This question gives Sri Krishna an opportunity to further enlighten Arjuna. Listen, I will tell you what the vision means. You have witnessed Me in the form of Time and Death and the Destroyer. And you have seen Me act in that capacity.
I am mighty, world-destroying Time, here made manifest for the purpose of destroying these people. Even without You, none of these warriors arrayed here in the hostile armies, shall live. (Bhagavad Gita Chapter XI – Verse 32)
I am mighty Time, that is to say, I am the divine power that causes all changes. I am Death; I destroy the worlds. And at present I am made manifest for the purpose of slaying these warriors. Should you refuse to fight, even then, without you, without your instrumentality, all these heroes will die. Therefore, do not be foolish. Take My advice. This war is necessary for the unfoldment of My plans. I have come to establish righteousness. I have incarnated for that purpose. Why cannot you be humble and resigned! Does anything depend on you? Out of dust I can create my mighty workers. I do not depend on you. Do not be idle; do not neglect your duty. It will not avail anything. The law will take its course. Therefore be calm and humble and obedient, and then act seeing stillness in strife, life in death, peace in war.