आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा |
कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च || 39||
āvṛitaṁ jñānam etena jñānino nitya-vairiṇā
kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya duṣhpūreṇānalena cha
āvṛitam—covered; jñānam—knowledge; etena—by this; jñāninaḥ—of the wise; nitya-vairiṇā—by the perpetual enemy; kāma-rūpeṇa—in the form of desires; kaunteya—Arjun the son of Kunti; duṣhpūreṇa—insatiable; analena—like fire; cha—and
Translation:
O Arjuna! Knowledge of the Self is covered by this everlasting foe of the wise in the form of desire, insatiable like fire.
Commentary:
The Lord elaborates the theme of kama, for it is the worst enemy of man, and more of its nature should be understood before one could deal with it in a suitable manner and overcome its destructive influence. Kama is the ever-lasting foe of the wise (Nitya Vairi) and it is insatiable like fire. Birth after birth, this formidable foe harasses man continuously. External enemies are not so persistent. Sometimes a former enemy may become a present friend. So they are not perpetual enemies. But Kama is a constant foe, ever-scheming and plotting how to fringe and bring down the spiritual aspirant. Highly learned scholars, kings and heroes, the Gods of the different worlds, are struck down by kama at one time or other. Even highly advanced spiritual seekers, if they are not careful for a minute, are trapped by kama and lose their freedom. Though its external manifestations are checked by conscious efforts, yet it remains in a seed-form in the heart, and comes out when there is a suitable opportunity. So the seeker should be vigilant and with firm determination should strike down the enemy whenever he lifts his head in any form whatsoever.
Insatiable like the fire: Like fire, kama can never be appeased. Any amount of fuel may be thrown into the fire, yet we do not find the fire crying ‘enough’. Such is kama. Enjoyments do not reduce the power of kama. On the other hand, it becomes stronger and stronger after every pleasure offered to appease it. It is already described as ‘all-devouring’ (mahasana). The attempt to fill kama is as futile as to draw water from a river in a sieve. The word analena meaning fire is significant. Alam means enough, analam means not enough. That is, the fire never says ‘enough’ however much you may feed it with fuel. Such is kama, and like fire, it burns anyone who touches it. So the policy of appeasement should be given up, and a total war should be declared against the enemy.
Everlasting foe of the wise: To the spiritual aspirant who is striving to know the Truth, kama is the immediate and most dangerous foe. When one is awakened from the dream of desire followed by enjoyment, and enjoyment followed by further desire he tries to progress towards Truth. Then he would understand how kama had enslaved him, how bitter and short-lived its pleasures were, how hard and long should be the struggle to destroy this subtle enemy whom he fed and entertained as the ruling principle of his life through a series of births.
Sri Ramakrishna Says —
MASTER: “‘Woman and gold’ is the cause of bondage. ‘Woman and gold’ alone constitutes samsara, the world. It is ‘woman and gold’ that keeps one from seeing God. (Holding the towel in front or his face) Do you see my face any more? Of course not. The towel hides it. No sooner is the covering of ‘woman and gold’ removed than one attains Chidananda, Consciousness and Bliss.
“Let me tell you something. He who has renounced the pleasure of a wife has verily renounced the pleasure of the world. God is very near to such a person.”
The devotees listened to these words in silence.
MASTER (to Kedar, Vijay, and the other devotees): “He who has renounced the pleasure of a wife has verily renounced the pleasure of the world. It is ‘woman and gold’ that hides God. You people have such imposing moustaches, and yet you too are involved in ‘woman and gold’. Tell me it isn’t true. Search your heart and answer me.“
VIJAY: “Yes, it is true.”
Kedar remained silent.
MASTER: “I see that all are under the control of woman. One day I went to Captain’s house. From there I was to go to Ram’s house. So I said to Captain, ‘Please give me my carriage hire.’ He asked his wife about it. She too held back and said: ‘What’s the matter? What’s the matter?’ At last Captain said, ‘Ram will take care of it.’ You see, the Gita, the Bhagavata, and the Vedanta all bow before a woman! (All laugh.)
“A man leaves his money, his property, and everything in the hands of his wife. But he says with affected simplicity, ‘I have such a nature that I cannot keep even two rupees with me.’
“A man went to an office in search of a job. There were many vacancies, but the manager did not grant his request. A friend said to the applicant, ‘Appeal to Golapi, and you will get the job.’ Golapi was the manager’s mistress.
“Men do not realise how far they are dragged down by women. Once I went to the Fort in a carriage, feeling all the while that I was going along a level road. At last I found that I had gone four storeys down. It was a sloping road.
“A man possessed by a ghost does not know he is under the ghost’s control. He thinks he is quite normal.”
VIJAY (smiling): “But he can be cured by an exorcist if he finds one.”
In answer to Vijay Sri Ramakrishna only said, “That depends on the will of God.” Then he went on with his talk about women.
MASTER: “Everyone I talk to says, ‘Yes, sir, my wife is good.’ Nobody says that his wife is bad. (All laugh.) Those who constantly live with ‘woman and gold’ are so infatuated with it that they don’t see things properly. Chess-players oftentimes cannot see the right move for their pieces on the board. But those who watch the game from a distance can understand the moves more accurately.
“Woman is the embodiment of maya. In the course of his hymn to Rama, Narada said: ‘O Rama, all men are parts of Thee. All women are parts of Sita, the personification of Thy maya. Please deign to grant that I may have pure love for Thy Lotus Feet and that I may not be deluded by Thy world-bewitching maya. I do not want any other favour than that.'” (Source: Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)
Related Articles:
- O mighty-armed Arjuna! Thus, having known what is greater than the intellect (i.e.) Atma, and restraining the mind by the intellect conquer the foe (kama) in the form of desire which is indeed hard to overcome. (BG 3.43)
Question: By what is the knowledge of self covered?
Answer: By Kama.
Question: What is its nature?
Answer: It is the constant foe of the wise, and all-consuming and insatiable like fire.
