Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - Sloka 39

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

The origin of sin - 36-43

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 39

Avrutam gyanam etena gyaninah nitya vairina I

Kama rupena kaunteya dushpurena analena cha II sloka 39

आवृतं ज्ञानं एतेन ज्ञानिनः नित्य वैरिण ।

काम रूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेण अनलेन च ।। श्लोक ३९ 

Knowledge is covered O son of Kunti, by this insatiable fir of desire, the constant foe of the wise.

Desire grown to the stature of greed is a destructive force and an enemy to all human beings. But the ignorant among them who come under its sway hold it s a helpful friend. Whenever a setback and humiliation ensues from it, the destructive force of desire is momentarily detested as a treacherous factor in the makeup of man. But this feeling vanishes as quickly as it dawns. The unwary ignorant choose to ally with it always. But the case of the knowing man is different. Both while under the influence of desire and while holding it in abeyance the wise man views it as his sworn enemy. He likes no alliance with it. Still in spite of him, it steals into his heart assuming innumerable forms and trying to allure him. It is therefore the constant foe of the wise.

The indicator in the balance moves away from the middle point when there is more weight on one side. The mind of the man moves away from God allured by the weight of lust and greed. 

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa