Chapter 3 · Verse 39 · Karma Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 3.39
Sanskrit
आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा। कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च।।3.39।।
Transliteration
āvṛitaṁ jñānam etena jñānino nitya-vairiṇā kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya duṣhpūreṇānalena cha
In plain words
You know that pull—the one that makes you obsess over getting them back, or winning the argument, or finally having enough money to feel safe. Krishna says desire is like a fire that can never be satisfied, and it blinds you to what's actually true and what you're actually meant to do right now. When you notice that hunger taking over, pause and ask: am I chasing this because my soul needs it, or because I'm afraid?
Word by Word
Desire is the eternal enemy of wisdom, cloaking our true nature like ash smothers embers. It wears a thousand faces and burns with insatiable hunger, consuming the discriminative power of even the wisest souls.
This is not meant to frighten you, but to awaken you: when you notice desire pulling your attention away from your dharma, pause and ask whether you are feeding the fire or serving the truth. In modern life, this means becoming aware of how endless wants—for status, pleasure, security—hijack your clearest intentions, and learning to redirect that same fierce energy toward what truly nourishes your spirit.
Listen
Bhagavad Gita 3.39 — BG 3.39
Your Mantra Prescription
This mantra is prescribed for clarity and purpose. Is that what you're going through?
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