Verse 3.37
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
श्रीभगवानुवाच। काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः। महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम्।।
Transliteration (IAST)
śrī bhagavān uvāca | kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ | mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam ||
Word-by-Word Meanings
कामः-desire/lust
क्रोधः-anger
रजोगुणसमुद्भवः-born of the mode of passion
महाशनः-all-devouring
महापाप्मा-greatly sinful
वैरिणम्-the enemy
Translation
The Blessed Lord said: It is desire, it is anger, born of the mode of passion (rajas). It is all-devouring and greatly sinful. Know this to be the enemy here.
Commentary
Krishna identifies kama (desire) and krodha (anger) as the root enemies of spiritual life. They arise from rajas guna and are insatiable. Desire unfulfilled becomes anger - they are two faces of the same force. This verse is crucial for understanding the psychology of bondage in the Gita's framework.
Themes
karmayogadharma