Contents
Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya
(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)
CHAPTER -3
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38. As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror (is) by dust, as an embryo is covered by the secundine, so is this covered by that. As fire, which is bright, is enveloped by smoke which is produced with it and is dark, and as a mirror is by dust, as an embryo is covered by the secundine, the outer skin surrounding it, so is this covered by that. What is it, referred to as 'this' which is covered by desire? The answer is:
39. 0 son of Kuntī! Knowledge is covered by this, the constant foe of the wise, in the form of desire, difficult to satisfy, and never having enough. Knowledge is covered by this, the constant foe of the wise : The wise man knows even at the very beginning that he is being led to evil by this (desire) and therefore feels miserable always. Hence, this (desire) is the constant foe of the wise man. "Not so is the case with the ignorant; for he sees desire as his friend when he hankers after something; and only when an unpleasant result ensues does he realise, "Through desire I have become miserable", and not earlier. Wherefore is this (desire) the constant foe of the wise man alone. |
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