Verse 4.37
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन। ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा।।
Transliteration (IAST)
yathaidhāṁsi samiddho 'gnir bhasmasāt kurute 'rjuna jñānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṇi bhasmasāt kurute tathā
Word-by-Word Meanings
yathā-just as
edhāṁsi-firewood
samiddhaḥ-blazing
agniḥ-fire
bhasmasāt-to ashes
jñānāgniḥ-the fire of knowledge
Translation
As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.
Commentary
The fire metaphor reaches its climax: just as fire reduces wood to ash regardless of the wood's type or quantity, knowledge destroys all karma without exception. This is not gradual purification but total transformation - the complete burning away of karmic bondage through realized understanding.
Themes
jnanakarmamoksha
Related Verses
karma1 verse