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Shloka 39

Karma-Saṃnyāsa–Karma-Yoga Saṃvāda

Renunciation and the Discipline of Action

आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा । कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च,और हे अर्जुन! इस अग्निके समान कभी न पूर्ण होनेवाले कामरूप ज्ञानियोंके नित्य वैरीकेः द्वारा मनुष्यका ज्ञान ढका हुआ है

āvṛtaṁ jñānam etena jñānino nityavairiṇā | kāmarūpeṇa kaunteya duṣpūreṇānalena ca ||

O anak ni Kuntī, natatakpan ang kaalaman maging ng marurunong ng palagiang kaaway na ito—pagnanasa—na nag-aanyong pagnanabik at nagliliyab na parang apoy na di kailanman nabubusog.

आवृतम्covered, enveloped
आवृतम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootआ√वृ (वृञ् आवरणे) → आवृत (क्त)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
ज्ञानम्knowledge
ज्ञानम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक; from √ज्ञा)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
एतेनby this
एतेन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
ज्ञानिनःof the knower / of the wise person
ज्ञानिनः:
TypeNoun
Rootज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
नित्य-वैरिणाby the constant enemy
नित्य-वैरिणा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootनित्य + वैरिन्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
काम-रूपेणin the form of desire
काम-रूपेण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootकाम + रूप
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
कौन्तेयO son of Kunti
कौन्तेय:
TypeNoun
Rootकौन्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
दुष्पूरेणby/with (that which is) hard to satisfy
दुष्पूरेण:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootदुष्पूर (प्रातिपदिक; दुḥ + पूर)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
अनलेनby fire
अनलेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअनल (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root

अजुन उवाच

A
Arjuna
K
Kaunteya (Arjuna as son of Kuntī)
K
Kāma (desire)
A
Anala (fire, as metaphor)

Educational Q&A

Desire (kāma) is portrayed as a constant inner enemy that can obscure even a wise person’s discernment; therefore ethical clarity requires vigilance and self-control so that knowledge can guide action.

In the Gītā dialogue set on the battlefield, Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa (calling him ‘Kaunteya’ as a conventional vocative in the received text) while discussing the force that drives wrongdoing; this verse identifies desire as the veil over knowledge, likening it to an insatiable fire.