Chapter 3: Karma Yoga, verse 39
आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा।
कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च ॥
Say itāvṛitaṁ jñānam etena jñānino nitya-vairiṇā
kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya duṣhpūreṇānalena cha
Translation
O Arjuna, wisdom is enveloped by this constant enemy of the wise, in the form of desire, which is insatiable like fire.
Swami Sivananda
O son of Kunti, knowledge is covered by this constant enemy of the wise, in the form of desire, which is an insatiable fire.
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
The knowledge of the intelligent self is enveloped by this constant enemy, O Arjuna, which is of the nature of desire and is difficult to gratify and insatiable.
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
O son of Kunti! The knowledge of the wise is concealed by this eternal foe, which appears desirable yet is insatiable like fire.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
It is the wise man's constant enemy; it tarnishes the face of wisdom, being as insatiable as a flame of fire.
Shri Purohit Swami
और हे कुन्तीनन्दन ! इस अग्निके समान कभी तृप्त न होनेवाले और विवेकियोंके नित्य वैरी इस कामके द्वारा मनुष्यका विवेक ढका हुआ है।
Swami Ramsukhdas
हे कौन्तेय ! अग्नि के समान जिसको तृप्त करना कठिन है ऐसे कामरूप, ज्ञानी के इस नित्य शत्रु द्वारा ज्ञान आवृत है।
Swami Tejomayananda
Classical commentariesFor deeper study. Most are in the original Sanskrit.
Advaita
Non-dual: the self and the absolute are one.
Vishishtadvaita
Qualified non-dual: souls are real parts of the divine.
Dvaita
Dual: the soul and God are eternally distinct.
Shuddhadvaita
Pure non-dual, centred on grace and devotion.
Kashmir Shaivism
The Gita read through Trika Shaiva philosophy.
Modern teachers
20th-century teachers writing for today's readers.