Chapter 3, Verse 37 (Bhagavad Gita 3.37)
Chapter 3: Karm Yog – Path of Selfless Service
Sanskrit Shloka
श्री भगवानुवाच काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः। महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम्
Transliteration
śhrī bhagavān uvācha kāma eṣha krodha eṣha rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ mahāśhano mahā-pāpmā viddhyenam iha vairiṇam
Word Meanings
śhri-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Lord said; kāmaḥ—desire; eṣhaḥ—this; krodhaḥ—wrath; eṣhaḥ—this; rajaḥ-guṇa—the mode of passion; samudbhavaḥ—born of; mahā-aśhanaḥ—all-devouring; mahā-pāpmā—greatly sinful; viddhi—know; enam—this; iha—in the material world; vairiṇam—the enemy
Translation
The Blessed Lord said: It is desire alone, born of the mode of passion, which later manifests as anger; know this to be the all-consuming, sinful enemy in this world.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse reveals the psychological root of human suffering by identifying desire as the progenitor of anger. When our cravings meet resistance, they transmute into rage, effectively blinding our intelligence and moral clarity. By labeling this force 'all-consuming,' Krishna teaches us that worldly desires can never be satisfied, as they only grow with indulgence. True spiritual maturity begins when we recognize these internal impulses as our true adversaries rather than external obstacles. Mastering the self requires transmuting this primal energy into disciplined, selfless action.