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Bhagavad-gītā 3.39

आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा । कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च ॥ ३९ ॥
āvṛtaṁ jñānam etena
[aavritam jnaanam etena]
jñānino nitya-vairiṇā
[jnaanino nitya-vairinaa]
kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya
[kaama-roopena kaunteya]
duṣpūreṇānalena ca
[dushpoorenaanalena cha]
Word-for-word
āvṛtam — covered jñānam — pure consciousness etena — by this jñāninaḥ — of the knower nitya - vairiṇā — by the eternal enemy kāma - rūpeṇa — in the form of lust kaunteya — O son of Kuntī duṣpūreṇa — never to be satisfied analena — by the fire ca — also .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
āvṛtaṁ jñānam etena
āvṛtam
covered
jñānam
pure consciousness
etena
by this
jñānino nitya-vairiṇā
jñāninaḥ
of the knower
nitya - vairiṇā
by the eternal enemy
kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya
kāma - rūpeṇa
in the form of lust
kaunteya
O son of Kuntī
duṣpūreṇānalena ca
duṣpūreṇa
never to be satisfied
analena
by the fire
ca
also .
Important Words
  • āvṛtam — covered
    Past participle of ā-√vṛ, to enclose. Same root as āvaraṇa (covering). The verse repeats the covering-language of 3.38 — now applied not to fire/mirror/embryo but to consciousness itself.
  • jñānam — pure consciousness
    Not academic knowledge — *jñāna*, the soul's native awareness. The covering of jñāna is the chapter's diagnostic: when you cannot see, kāma is on top of you.
  • jñāninaḥ — of the knower
    Genitive of jñānin. Even the knower's jñāna gets covered. The verse refuses to flatter the educated — kāma covers everyone's consciousness, jñānin and ajñānin alike.
  • nitya - vairiṇā — by the eternal enemy
    Compound: nitya (eternal) + vairin (enemy). The same vairin of 3.37, but here *eternal* — kāma is not a phase. It is the lifelong opponent. The verse trains the soul to settle in for a long campaign.
  • duṣpūreṇa — never to be satisfied
    Compound: dus (hard) + pūr (to fill). *Hard-to-fill*. The defining feature of kāma — it cannot be satisfied by satisfying it. Feeding the fire makes it bigger. The verse names the strategic error of trying to appease.
  • analena — by the fire
    Instrumental of anala — fire (literally, *insatiable*; an-ala, no-enough). Etymology and image coincide: even the word for fire encodes 'insatiable.' Kāma is *that* kind of fire.
Thus the wise living entity’s pure consciousness becomes covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Even the wise face this enemy. Knowledge does not exempt one from kāma's siege; kāma is nitya-vairin — a constant adversary. Like a fire that swallows fuel forever without satiation, it keeps the jñānin under continual veil.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Note 'jñāninaḥ jñānam' — the wise still have something to defend. Knowledge is not a one-time achievement. The fire image picks up from 3.38 (mirror/embryo were passive coverings; fire here is active devouring). 'Duṣpūra' echoes BG 16.10. Together this sets up the call to action: locate and dislodge.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
हे कौन्तेय! ज्ञानिनः ज्ञानम् काम-रूपेण नित्य-वैरिणा दुष्पूरेण अनलेन एतेन च आवृतम्।
he kaunteya! jñāninaḥ jñānam kāma-rūpeṇa nitya-vairiṇā duṣpūreṇa analena etena ca āvṛtam|
O son of Kuntī, the wise one's knowledge is covered by this kāma-shaped, eternally hostile, insatiable fire-like enemy.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
आवृतम् ज्ञानम् एतेन ज्ञानिनः नित्य-वैरिणा । काम-रूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेण अनलेन च ॥
āvṛtam jñānam etena jñāninaḥ nitya-vairiṇā | kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya duṣpūreṇa analena ca ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
आवृतम् āvṛtam आ+√वृ p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. covered, veiled
ज्ञानम् jñānam ज्ञान (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) knowledge
एतेन etena dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) ins.sg. (instrumental singular)m./n. by this
ज्ञानिनः jñāninaḥ ज्ञानिन् (m.) gen.sg. (genitive singular) of the wise one
नित्य-वैरिणा nitya-vairiṇā नित्य + वैरिन् ins.sg. (instrumental singular)m., karmadhāraya by the perpetual enemy
काम-रूपेण kāma-rūpeṇa काम + रूप ins.sg. (instrumental singular)m./n., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) in the form of kāma
कौन्तेय kaunteya कौन्तेय (m.) voc.sg. (vocative singular) O son of Kuntī
दुष्पूरेण duṣpūreṇa दुष् + पूर (adj.) ins.sg. (instrumental singular)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) hard-to-fill, insatiable
अनलेन analena अनल (m.) ins.sg. (instrumental singular) by fire
च ca ind. (indeclinable), conj. and
Purport

It is said in the Manu-smṛti that lust cannot be satisfied by any amount of sense enjoyment, just as fire is never extinguished by a constant supply of fuel. In the material world, the center of all activities is sex, and thus this material world is called maithunya-āgāra, or the shackles of sex life. In the ordinary prison house, criminals are kept within bars; similarly, the criminals who are disobedient to the laws of the Lord are shackled by sex life. Advancement of material civilization on the basis of sense gratification means increasing the duration of the material existence of a living entity. Therefore, this lust is the symbol of ignorance by which the living entity is kept within the material world. While one enjoys sense gratification, it may be that there is some feeling of happiness, but actually that so-called feeling of happiness is the ultimate enemy of the sense enjoyer.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
39. The knowledge of the knower is covered by this eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is like an unsatisfied fire.
Commentary

This verse explains that lust is indeed ignorance of the jīva, for it covers the knowledge of the jīva. The phrase “eternal enemy” indicates that lust must by all means be killed. By this ignorance in the form of lust, compared to an unsatisfied fire, knowledge is covered. Ca means like in this sentence. It is said: na jātu kāmaḥ kāmānām upabhogena śāṁyati haviṣā kṛṣṇa-vartmeva bhūya evābhivardhate As supplying butter to a fire does not diminish the fire but instead increases it more and more, the endeavor to stop lusty desires by continual enjoyment can never be successful. SB 9.19.14

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
39. The knowledge of the jīva is covered by this constant enemy in the form of lust, which is like an unsatisfied fire.
Commentary

This verse clarifies the meaning. The knowledge of the knowing entity, the jīva (jñāninaḥ), is covered by its eternal enemy (nitya vairiṇā) in the form of lust (kāma rūpena). For the ignorant person, kāma is the friend because it gives happiness at the time of enjoying sense objects, though it is actually the enemy, since its ultimate effect is suffering. The person in knowledge however knows that even at the time of enjoyment it will become a cause of suffering, and thus it is called the constant enemy (nitya vairinā). Therefore this means that by all means it should be destroyed. Moreover, it also is like (ca) unsatisfied fire. Just as it is impossible to satisfy a fire by offerings, kāma cannot be satisfied by enjoyment. Thus the smṛti says: na jātu kāmaḥ kāmānām upabhogena śāṁyati haviṣā kṛṣṇa-vartmeva bhūya evābhivardhate As supplying butter to a fire does not diminish the fire but instead increases it more and more, the endeavor to stop lusty desires by continual enjoyment can never be successful. SB 9.19.14 Therefore, it is the eternal enemy of everyone.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Further characteristics of lust

Covers the living entities pure consciousness
Lust is never satisfied
Analogy: Never satisfied, like fire which is never satisfied by constant supply of fuel (Ref. Manu Smrti)

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF TEXT 3.39

In a completely different analogy, Krishna compares lust to fire.
Lust is never satisfied with any amount of fuel: it simply grows as it is fed
The best way to stop lust is to stop feeding it and let it die
Focus of Learning

(a) Comparisons of 3 levels of covering:

Smoke/fire – beginning of Krishna consciousness
Mirror/dust – cleansing by spiritual methods
Embryo/womb – knowledge completely covered

(b) Also another category of comparison:

Smoke/fire – consciousness of human beings
Mirror/dust – consciousness of birds and beasts
Embryo/womb – helpless like trees

(c) Human life is an opportunity

A chance to kindle fire of Krishna consciousness by careful handling of smoke
One can conquer lust, by cultivation of Krishna consciousness under proper guidance

(d) When does living entity inquire about reality

When completely baffled by prolonged lustful activities

(e) One should inquire – What?

Inquire about the Supreme – Ref. Vedanta Sutra: “atatho brahma-jijnasa…”
Supreme – Who is He? – Ref. SB “janmady asya…” – The origin of everything is the Supreme Brahman

(f) What is origin of lust

The origin of everything is in the Supreme – Therefore origin of lust is also in the Supreme

(g) How to make ‘lust’ and ‘wrath’ be spiritualized, and thus making them our friends

By desiring everything for Krishna i.e. in Krishna consciousness. Examples:
Hanuman used his wrath for Lord Rama
Arjuna is induced to exhibit wrath on the battlefield
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
3.39 Jnanam, Knowledge; is avrtam, covered; etena, by this; nityavairina, constant enemy; jnaninah, of the wise. For the wise person knows even earlier, 'I am being induced by this into evil.' And he always [Both at the time when desire arises in him, and also when he is forced to act by it.] feels distressed. Therefore, it is the constant enemy of the wise but not of a fool. For the fool looks upon desire as a friend so long as hankering lasts. When sorrow comes as a conseence, he realizes, 'I have been driven into sorrow because of longings', but certainly not earlier. Therefore it is the constant enemy of the wise alone. In what form? Kama-rupena, in the form of desire-tha which has wish itself as its expression is kama-rupa; in that form-; (and) duspurena, which is an insatiable; analena, fire. That which is difficult to satisfy is duspurah; and (derivatively) that which never has enough (alam) is analam. Again, having what as its abode does desire, in the form of a viel over Knowledge, become the enemy of all? Since when the abode of an enemy is known, it is possible to easily slay the enemy, therefore the Lord says:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
3.39 The knowledge, having the self for its subject, of this embodied person (the Jiva) whose nature is knowledge, is enveloped by this constant enemy in the shape of desire, which brings about attachment for sense-objects. This desire is difficult to satisfy, i.e., has for its object things unworthy of attainment and is insatiable, i.e., never attains satisfaction. Now listen to what constitutes the instruments with which desire subdues the self. Sri Krsna goes on to expound this:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
3.39 Avrtam etc. Looks like a desired one : For it acts when there is desire. It is fire, because it is like fire impossible to satiate. For, it burns down both the visible and the invisible results [of rightious actions].
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
3.39 O Arjuna, wisdom is enveloped by this constant enemy of the wise in the form of desire, which is unappeasable as fire.
Commentary

3.39 आवृतम् enveloped? ज्ञानम् wisdom? एतेन by this? ज्ञानिनः of the wise? नित्यवैरिणा by the constant enemy? कामरूपेण whose form is desire? कौन्तेय O Kaunteya? दुष्पूरेण unappeasable? अनलेन by fire? च and.Commentary Manu says? Desire can never be satiated or cooled down by the enjoyment ofobjects. But as fire blazes forth the more when fed with Ghee (melted butter) and wood? so it grows the more it feeds on the objects of enjoyment. If all the foodstuffs of the earth? all the precious metals? all the animals and all the beautiful women were to pass into the possession of one man endowed with desire? they would still fail to give him satisfaction.The ignorant man considers desire as his friend when he craves for objects. He welcomes desire for the gratification of the senses but the wise man knows from experience even before suffering the conseence that desire will bring only troubles and misery for him. So it is a constant enemy of the wise but not of the ignorant.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
3.39 O son of Kunti, Knowledge is covered by this constant enemy of the wise in the form of desire, which is an insatiable fire.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
3.39 It is the wise man's constant enemy; it tarnishes the face of wisdom. It is as insatiable as a flame of fire.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Yajña (Sacrifice / Spirit of Offering)Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)
Related verses
BG 3.37 BG 2.67 BG 7.25 SB 7.9.39 SB 11.26.22 SB 5.14.22 CC Madhya 22.87 CC Madhya 22.147 CC Antya 19.100 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.2Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.5
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Knowledge is covered by this constant enemy of the wise — lust, the form of desire, insatiable as fire.
Practical Applications
  • Notice that even knowledge — what you 'know' — gets clouded when craving is active.
  • Don't trust your reasoning during a craving spike.
  • Wait, chant, then re-evaluate.
Reflection Questions
  • When was I sure I was reasoning, but actually just rationalizing craving?
  • What is my discipline for waiting through?
Analogy

A fire that has been told to stop is not put out by being asked nicely — it burns whatever you bring to it. Kāma is exactly that fire. Negotiation does not work; only starvation does.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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