A core teaching · reflective in mood · builds on earlier teachings
“Desire does not just tempt; it hides wisdom itself.”
O son of Kunti, wisdom is covered by this desire, the eternal enemy of the wise, as fire is never satisfied.
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.
Read literallycovered · wisdom · by this · of the wise · by the eternal enemy · in the form of desire · O son of Kunti · by the hard-to-satisfy · by fire
Desire hides clear understanding. It never feels satisfied, and it keeps working against the wise like an unquenchable fire.
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Karma Yoga" (The Yoga of Action).
Verse 39 sits in Chapter 3 of the Bhagavad Gita — Karma Yoga, "The Yoga of Action". The chapter has 43 verses in total.
You open one more tab, then another, then another, hoping the urge will settle. It does not. It keeps your judgment fogged until you notice what is driving you.
Did you like this verse?
It shifts attention from fighting symptoms to seeing desire as the force that clouds judgment.
What this verse means
Desire hides clear understanding. It never feels satisfied, and it keeps working against the wise like an unquenchable fire.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna is frozen while Krishna explains the real enemy behind confusion. Desire does not merely distract; it covers wisdom itself, like a fire that never says enough.
Why this verse still matters
You open one more tab, then another, then another, hoping the urge will settle. It does not. It keeps your judgment fogged until you notice what is driving you.
“You can see how craving does not just tempt you; it blinds you.”
Explore related themes: buddhi (26 verses), kama (23 verses)