Karma Yoga · Verse 37

Bhagavad Gita 3.37

Desire is not harmless; it mutates into the force that ruins judgment.

Wisdom translation, edited by Ankur Shukla. Commentary AI-drafted, human-reviewed. Reviewed June 2026. Methodology →

श्री भगवानुवाचकाम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः ।
महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
श्रीभगवान् बोले रजोगुणसे उत्पन्न हुआ यह काम ही क्रोध है । यह बहुत खानेवाला और महापापी है । इस विषयमें तू इसको ही वैरी जान ॥
English
Krishna said: Desire, born of rajas, turns into anger. It is all-consuming and deeply destructive. Know it as your enemy here.

What this verse means

Desire, born from restlessness, turns into anger and destroys clarity. Krishna says to recognize it as an enemy before it takes over.

Context & commentary

Arjuna has asked why people act against their own judgment. Krishna answers on the battlefield: the real enemy is not outside, but the force of desire rising into anger and blinding discernment. This verse names it so Arjuna can fight it first.

Why this verse still matters

You open a message, feel ignored, and the irritation hardens into a cutting reply. The first spark looked harmless; the full fire changes everything.

The takeaway

You can catch the fire early, before it becomes a blaze that controls your choices.

Word-by-word translation

श्रीभगवानुवाच (the Lord said) / कामः (desire) / एषः (this) / क्रोधः (anger) / एषः (this) / रजोगुणसमुद्भवः (born from the quality of passion) / महाशनः (all-devouring) / महापाप्मा (greatly destructive) / विद्धि (know) / एनम् (this) / इह (here) / वैरिणम् (as an enemy)

Explore related themes: kama (23 verses), rajas (21 verses), krodha (11 verses)

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