Bhagavad Gita · Karma YogaChapter 3, Shloka 39 (3.39)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा
कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च
॥ 3.39 ॥
āvṛtaṃ jñānametena jñānino nityavairiṇā
kāmarūpeṇa kaunteya duṣpūreṇānalena ca
Translation
"O Kaunteya! Knowledge is covered by this constant enemy of the wise, in the form of desire, which is never filled and insatiable like fire."
Interpretation
"Jñāninaḥ nitya-vairiṇā" — why the constant enemy of the wise? Shankaracharya's subtle answer: jñānī hi jānāti anena aham anarthe prayuktaḥ iti pūrvam eva; duḥkhī ca bhavati nityam eva — the wise person knows beforehand that "this has driven me into harm", and so is always pained (by it). Na tu mūrkhasya — it is not the (constant) enemy of the fool: the fool, kāmaṃ tṛṣṇā-kāle mitram iva paśyan — at the time of craving sees desire as a friend, and only when suffering comes does he realise that "craving made me suffer". Therefore desire is the constant enemy of the wise alone.
"Duṣpūra", "anala". Shankaracharya: duḥkhena pūraṇam asya — that which is hard to fill; na asya alaṃ paryāptir vidyate — for which there is never "enough". Ramanuja: pūrty-anarha-viṣayeṇa — whose object can never be fulfilled.
Acharya Ramanuja: jñāninaḥ jñāna-svabhāvasya — of the soul whose nature is knowledge, the ātma-viṣayaṃ jñānam — knowledge concerning the self — is covered by desire, which works viṣaya-vyāmoha-jananena — by producing infatuation with sense objects.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.