Gita 03.39 – The eternal enemy blinds, binds and burns

Audio Link: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-03-39-the-eternal-enemy-blinds-binds-and-burns/

āvṛtaṁ jñānam etena
jñānino nitya-vairiṇā
kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya
duṣpūreṇānalena ca (Bg 3.39)

Word-for-word:
āvṛtam — covered; jñānam — pure consciousness; etena — by this; jñāninaḥ — of the knower; nitya-vairiṇā — by the eternal enemy; kāma-rūpeṇa — in the form of lust; kaunteya — O son of Kuntī; duṣpūreṇa — never to be satisfied; analena — by the fire; ca — also.

Translation:
Thus the wise living entity’s pure consciousness becomes covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.

Explanation:
āvṛtaṁ jñānam etena: This knowledge is covered by this (lust).
jñānino nitya-vairiṇā: By the eternal enemy of the wise. The soul, by nature, possesses knowledge (jñāna); it is sat-cit-ānanda—eternal, full of knowledge and bliss. To emphasize that knowledge is intrinsic to the soul, the word jñāninaḥ (the wise) is used here.
kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya: In the form of lust, O Kaunteya (Arjuna).
duṣpūreṇānalena ca: It burns like fire—never satisfied, ever consuming. Just as fire flares up more when fed, lust too intensifies when indulged. The more we try to satisfy it, the more it blazes. It is duṣpūra—insatiable

Essentially, Kṛṣṇa is cautioning us here that lust is the enemy, and it covers—āvṛtam jñānam—our knowledge. This is not merely a covering that blinds—it is a covering that binds. If it were a simple covering, like a blanket placed over our face, we would be unable to see anything at all. But the covering of lust is more insidious—it’s like looking through a piece of colored glass that distorts our perception.

Because of this distortion, the first consequence is a kind of spiritual blindness. We become unable to perceive our true identity as spiritual beings. We can’t see Kṛṣṇa, we can’t recognize our relationship with Him, and we fail to perceive the spiritual dimension of life altogether.

However, this is not mere blindness—it is the imposition of a false vision. We begin to see the objects of this world as immensely attractive. If we were simply blinded, we might become inert, frozen in our tracks. But lust does not just blind—it binds. It binds us to an illusory version of reality, and that illusion doesn’t paralyze us; it propels us—in the wrong direction. We begin to chase pleasure in temporary material things, which can never offer lasting satisfaction. Yet, we continue to grasp and struggle for that elusive fulfillment, remaining trapped in illusion.

The way out of this is through the serious practice of spiritual life. We’ll explore that later, but here Kṛṣṇa uses a striking phrase: jñānino nitya-vairiṇā—lust is the eternal enemy of the wise. These are grave words. The term “nitya” here is not to be taken literally, similar to its usage in “narake niyataṁ vāsaḥ” (Bhagavad-gītā 1.43), or in the common phrase “nitya-baddha”. No one remains in hell forever, nor is our conditioning eternal. But both can last for such an incredibly long time that they appear to be eternal.

Kṛṣṇa continues: kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya—this enemy takes the form of lust. Then, He adds: duṣpūreṇānalena ca—it is insatiable and burns like fire. The word “duṣpūra” means “impossible to satisfy,” and “anala” refers to fire. Together, they convey a powerful truth—indulgence does not pacify lust. Rather, it intensifies it. Just as adding fuel to a fire does not extinguish it—instead, it causes the flames to rise—similarly, gratifying lust only strengthens it. If we truly desire to become free from lust, the first step is to stop feeding it.

The word “nitya-vairiṇā” is especially significant. A typical enemy may hurt or even kill us—but that would be the end of it. However, lust is not like that. It is an enemy that relentlessly pursues us—not just in one lifetime, but across countless lifetimes. For ages, it has been following us, and it will not stop—unless we stop indulging in it.

Just as fire continues to burn as long as fuel is supplied, the fire of lust rages as long as indulgence continues. Indulgence is the fuel that sustains it. When we stop feeding lust—when we withdraw indulgence—only then can the fire begin to die down. Thus, the path to freedom begins by refusing to add fuel to the fire.

The term “nitya-vairiṇā” is especially sobering because it reminds us that lust cannot be driven away by superficial or cosmetic changes. It’s not that simply wearing a dhoti-kurta or holding a bead bag will make lust disappear. Not even formally becoming a brahmacārī or sannyāsī guarantees freedom from lust. It remains present.

What changes, however, is our response to it. As we practice bhakti sincerely and grow more attracted to Kṛṣṇa, our desire to indulge in lust gradually diminishes. Lust may still present its proposals—but those proposals become less frequent and less insistent. “Less frequent” means they don’t arise as often; “less insistent” means they don’t arise as forcefully.

Even when those temptations do arise, if we have developed a deep inclination to serve and love Kṛṣṇa, that divine inclination will counter the pull of lust. The stronger our attraction to Kṛṣṇa, the weaker our attraction to lust becomes.

The previous two verses are interconnected. Verse 37 identified lust as the enemy in this world—iha vairiṇam. Verse 38 expanded on this by explaining that all living beings are covered by lust, though to varying degrees. Now, in verse 39, Kṛṣṇa goes a step further—not only are all living beings covered, but He also explains “how” lust covers—by veiling our knowledge. This covering doesn’t merely blind us—it distorts our vision. In this way, lust acts as a particularly insidious enemy—it doesn’t just obstruct the truth, it warps our perception of it.

Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna that while he may be fighting enemies like Karṇa and Duryodhana now, those are temporary adversaries—confined to this lifetime. He will confront them, defeat them, and the enmity will end. But the real enemy—lust—is far more dangerous. This enmity does not end with death; it has followed us through many lifetimes and will continue to do so unless we consciously confront and conquer it. In verse 3.43, Kṛṣṇa urges Arjuna with the words “jahi śatruṁ mahā-bāho”—”Conquer this enemy, O mighty-armed one”—indicating that victory is possible. However, since lust has accompanied us for lifetimes, we must take strong, sustained measures to overcome it. Otherwise, it will continue to torment us, lifetime after lifetime, burning like an insatiable fire.

Kṛṣṇa uses two metaphors simultaneously in this verse—one of a covering (āvṛtaṁ) and another of fire (ānalena). The first metaphor emphasizes how lust obscures the soul’s inherent spiritual perception—jñānino, referring to one whose nature is knowledge. The second metaphor highlights how lust burns within, like an unquenchable fire. When we feel intense heat, we naturally seek relief in something cool. Similarly, the fire of lust drives us toward the perceived coolness of sense objects. We imagine that by coming into contact with them, this inner fire will be extinguished. But that is the illusion—it only fuels the fire further.

In movies, there are songs that describe how “sāvan jo āg lagāye”—the monsoon season ignites a fire within. Biologically, it’s true that certain seasons can trigger heightened sexual drives in people. This internal fire feels intense, and people often assume that by indulging in sense objects, it will be extinguished. But the reality is the opposite—the fire is not put out—it is aggravated. True extinction of this fire happens only when we redirect our desires toward Kṛṣṇa, experience a higher happiness in that connection, and stop adding fuel to the fire of sensual craving.

Thank you.