BhG 3.37

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ
mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam

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analysis

syntax

śrī-bhagavān (the glorious Lord) uvāca (he spoke):
rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ (whose origin is from rajo-guṇa) mahāśanaḥ (voracious) mahā-pāpmā (very sinful)
eṣaḥ kāmaḥ (this desire) [asti] (it is).
eṣaḥ krodhaḥ (this anger) [asti] (it is).
iha (here) enaṁ (this) vairiṇaṁ (enemy) viddhi (you must know).

grammar

śrī-bhagavān	–	śrī-bhagavant 1n.1 m.; TP: śriyā yukto bhagavān iti – the Lord united with majesty (from: śrī – lustre, majesty, fortune; √bhaj – to share, to love, to rejoice, to worship, bhaga – a share, good fortune, opulence; -mant / -vant – suffix denoting one who possesses, bhagavant – who possesses opulence);
uvāca	–	√vac (to speak) Perf. P 1v.1 – he spoke;
kāmaḥ	–	kāma 1n.1 m. – wish, desire, pleasure (from: √kam – to wish, to love, to long for);
eṣaḥ	–	etad sn. 1n.1 m. – this;
krodhaḥ	–	krodha 1n.1 m. – anger, wrath (from: √krudh – to be angry);
eṣaḥ	–	etad sn. 1n.1 m. – this;
rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ	–	rajo-guṇa-samudbhava 1n.1 m.; BV: yasya rajo-guṇāt samudbhavo ‘sti saḥ – whose origin is from rajo-guṇa (from: √rañj – to be dyed, be excited, be delighted, rajas – coloured, dust, passion; √grah – to take, guṇa – quality, virtue, thread; sam-ud-√bhū – to spring up from, to produce, samudbhava – springing from, production);
mahāśanaḥ	–	mahā-aśana 1n.1 m.; yasyāśanaṁ mahad asti saḥ – who eats a lot, voracious (from: √mah – to magnify, mahant – great; √aś – to reach, to eat, to enjoy, aśana – reaching, eating, consuming);
mahā-pāpmā	–	mahā-pāpman 1n.1 m.; yasya pāpmā mahān asti saḥ – which is very sinful (from: √mah – to magnify, mahant – great; pāpman – evil, misfortune, sin);
viddhi	–	√vid (to know, to understand) Imperat. P 2v.1 – you must know;
enam	–	etat sn. 2n.1 m. – this;
iha	–	av. – here (often meaning: in this world);
vairiṇam	–	vairin 2n.1 m. – enemy (from: vira – brave, a hero);

textual variants

śrī-bhagavān → bhagavān (the Lord);
kāma eṣa → kāma eva (desire only);

… → verses, not found in critical edition, after verse 3.37:
arjuna uvāca
bhavaty eṣa kathaṁ kṛṣṇa kathaṁ caiva vivardhate
kim ātmakaḥ kim ācāras tan mamācakṣva pṛcchataḥ
Arjuna spoke:
O Kṛṣṇa, how it exists and how to cut [it]?
What is [its] nature and conduct? Explain it to me, who am asking.

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
eṣa sūkṣmaḥ paraḥ śatrur dehinām indriyaiḥ saha
sukha-tantra ivāsīno mohayan pārtha tiṣṭhati
The glorious Lord spoke:
That along with the senses is the subtle and biggest enemy of the embodied.
O son of Pṛthā, it acts as if the warp of pleasure and bewilders.

kāma-krodha-mayo ghoraḥ stambha-harṣa-samudbhavaḥ
ahaṁ-kāro ‘bhimānātmā dustaraḥ pāpa-karmabhiḥ
Egotism of the nature of desire and anger, ghastly,
originted from torpor and excitement, and pride is its self.
It is difficult to overcome for those whose acts are sinful.

harṣam asya nivartyaiṣa śokam asya dadāti ca
bhayaṁ cāsya karoty eṣa mohayaṁs tu muhur muhuḥ
When that bewilderer turns back the excitement [of a person],
drives him to despair and fills with fear at every moment.

sa eṣa kaluṣaḥ kṣudraś chidra-prekṣī dhanaṁjaya
rajaḥ-pravṛtto mohātmā manuṣyāṇām upadravaḥ
O winner of wealth, it is that impure, mean, looking for defects,
acting in rajas, whose self i bewiderment and stands as the calamity f people.

commentaries

Śāṃkara

The key:
an excerpt from the commented verse
quotes from the scriptures
starting polemic

The Lord says: Listen, I shall tell you who that enemy is, of whom you ask, – who the source of all evil is: [Vāsudeva is here called the Lord (Bhagavat ), because He is one in whom the six attributes of unimpeded dominion, &c., ever abide collectively and in perfection, and who possesses a complete knowledge of the origin of the universe &c. Says the Viṣṇu-Puraṇa: ” ‚Bhaga’ means the six attributes – perfect dominion, might, glory, splendour, dispassion and salvation.” 6.5-74). “He is called the Lord (Bhagavat), who knows the origin and the end, the coming and going of beings, what is wisdom and what is ignorance.” (6.5-78.)]		śṛṇu tvaṃ taṃ vairiṇaṃ sarvānartha-karaṃ yaṃ tvaṃ pṛcchasīti bhagavān uvāca — aiśvaryasya samagrasya dharmasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ \| vairāgyasyātha mokṣasya ṣaṇṇāṃ bhaga itīṅganā \|\| (VP 6.5.74) ity aiśvaryādi-ṣaṭkaṃ yasmin vāsudeve nityam apratibaddhatvena sāmastyena ca vartate, utpattiṃ pralayaṃ caiva bhūtānām āgatiṃ gatim \| vetti vidyām avidyāṃ ca sa vācyo bhagavān iti \|\| (VP 6.5.78) utpatty-ādi-viṣayaṃ ca vijñānaṃ yasya sa vāsudevo vācyo bhagavān iti \|
The Blessed Lord said: It is Desire, it is Wrath, born of the energy of Rajas, all-devouring, all-sinful; that, know thou, is the foe here.		*kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ* \| *mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam* \|\|3.37\|\|
The enemy of the whole world is desire, from which all the evil comes to living beings. When obstructed by some cause, desire is transformed into wrath. Whence wrath is desire itself.		*kāma eṣa* sarva-loka-śatrur yan-nimittā sarvānartha-prāptiḥ prāṇinām \| sa eṣa kāmaḥ pratihataḥ kenacit krodhatvena pariṇamate \| ataḥ krodho* ’py eṣa eva* \|
It is born of the energy of Rajas. – Or, desire itself is the cause of the energy of Rajas; for, when desire arises, it rouses the Rajas and urges the person to action.		*rajo-guṇa-samudbhavo* rajo-guṇāt samudbhavo yasya[1] sa kāmo rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ \| rajo-guṇasya vā samudbhavaḥ \| kāmo hy udbhūto rajaḥ pravartayan puruṣaṃ pravartayati \|
We often hear the cry of miserable person – who are engaged in servitude, &c., under the impulse of the Rajas, – saying ‚I have been led to act so by desire.’		tṛṣṇayā hy ahaṃ-kārita iti duḥkhināṃ[2] rajaḥ-kārye sevādau pravṛttānāṃ pralāpaḥ śrūyate \|
It is very sinful; for it is only when urged by desire that a man commits sin. Wherefore, know that this desire is man’s foe here in samsara. Desire enshrouds wisdom.		*mahāśano* mahad aśanam asyeti mahāśanaḥ \| ata eva mahā-pāpmā \| kāmena hi prerito jantuḥ pāpaṃ karoti \| ato viddhy enaṃ kāmam iha saṃsāre vairiṇam \|\|3.37\|\|
		[1] rajo-guṇāt samudbhavo yasya = rajaś ca tad-guṇaś ca rajo-guṇaḥ sa samudbhavo yasya [2] duḥkhināṃ = duḥkhitānām

Rāmānuja

asyodbhavābhibhavarūpeṇa vartamānaguṇamayaprakṛtisaṃsṛṣṭasya jñānāyārabdhasya rajoguṇasamudbhavaḥ prācīnavāsanājanitaḥ śabdādiviṣayaḥ kāmo mahāśanaḥ śatruḥ viṣayeṣv enam ākarṣati / eṣa eva pratihatagatiḥ pratihatihetubhūtacetanān prati krodharūpeṇa pariṇato mahāpāpmā parahiṃsādiṣu pravartayati / enaṃ rajoguṇasamudbhavaṃ sahajaṃ jñānayogavirodhinaṃ vairiṇaṃ viddhi

Śrīdhara

Madhusūdana

evam arjunena pṛṣṭe atho khalv āhuḥ kāma-maya evāyaṃ puruṣa iti, ātmaivedam agra āsīd eka eva so ‚kāmayata jāyā me syād atha prajāyeyātha vittaṃ me syād atha karma kurvīya ity ādi-śruti-siddham uttaram śrī-bhagavān uvāca kāma iti | yas tvayā pṛṣṭo hetur balād anartha-mārge pravartakaḥ sa eṣa kāma eva mahān śatruḥ | yan-nimittā sarvānartha-prāptiḥ prāṇinām |

nanu krodho ‚py abhicārādau pravartako dṛṣṭa ity ata āha krodha eṣaḥ | kāma eva kenacid dhetunā pratihataḥ krodhatvena pariṇamate ‚taḥ krodho ‚py eṣa kāma eva | etasminn eva mahā-vairiṇi nivārite sarva-puruṣārtha-prāptir ity arthaḥ | tan-nivāraṇopāya-jñānāya tat-kāraṇam āha rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ | duḥkha-pravṛtti-balātmako rajo-guṇa eva samudbhavaḥ kāraṇaṃ yasya | ataḥ kāraṇānuvidhāyitvāt kāryasya so ‚pi tathā | yadyapi tamo-guṇo ‚pi tasya kāraṇaṃ tathāpi duḥkhe pravṛttau ca rajasa eva prādhānyāt tasyaiva nirdeśaḥ | etena sāttvikyā vṛttyā rajasi kṣīṇe so ‚pi kṣīyata ity uktam |

athavā tasya katham anartha-mārge pravartakatvam ity ata āha rajo-guṇasya pravṛttyādi-lakṣaṇasya samudbhavo yasmāt | kāmo hi viṣayābhilāṣātmakaḥ svayam udbhūto rajaḥ pravartayan puruṣaṃ duḥkhātmake karmaṇi pravartayati | tenāyam avaśyaṃ hantavya ity abhiprāyaḥ |

nanu sāma-dāna-bheda-daṇḍāś catvāra upāyās tatra prathama-trikasyāsambhave caturtho daṇḍaḥ prayoktavyo na tu haṭhād evety āśaṅkya trayāṇām asambhavaṃ vaktuṃ viśinaṣṭi mahāśano mahā-pāpmeti | mahad aśanam asyeti mahāśanaḥ |

yat pṛthivyāṃ vrīhi-yavaṃ hiraṇyaṃ paśavaḥ striyaḥ |
nālam ekasya tat sarvam iti matvā śamaṃ vrajet || iti smṛteḥ |

ato na dānena sandhātuṃ śakyaḥ | nāpi sāma-bhedābhyāṃ yato mahā-pāpmātyugraḥ | tena hi balāt prerito ‚niṣṭa-phalam api jānan pāpaṃ karoti | ato viddhi jānīhi enaṃ kāmam iha saṃsāre vairiṇam |

tad etat sarvaṃ vivṛtaṃ vārtika-kāraiḥ ātmaivedam agra āsīt iti śruti-vyākhyāne –

pravṛttau ca nivṛttau ca yathoktasyādhikāriṇaḥ |
svātantrye sati saṃsāra-sṛtau kasmāt pravartate ||
na tu niḥśeṣa-vidhvasta-saṃsārānartha-vartmani |
nivṛtti-lakṣaṇe vācyaṃ kenāyaṃ preryate ‚vaśaḥ ||
anartha-paripākatvam api jānan pravartate |
pāratantryam ṛte dṛṣṭā pravṛttir nedṛśī kvacit ||
tasmāc chreyorthinaḥ puṃsaḥ prerako ‚niṣṭa-karmaṇi |
vaktavyas tan-nirāsārtham ity arthā syāt parā śrutiḥ ||
anāpta-puruṣārtho ‚yaṃ niḥśeṣānartha-saṅkulaḥ |
ity akāmayatānāptān pumarthān sādhanair jaḍaḥ ||
jihāsati tathānarthān avidvān ātmani śritān |
avidyodbhūta-kāmaḥ sann atho khalv iti ca śrutiḥ ||
akāmataḥ kriyāḥ kāścid dṛśyante neha kasyacit |
yad yad dhi kurute jantus tat-tat-kāmasya ceṣṭitam ||
kāma eṣa krodha eṣa ity ādi-vacanaṃ smṛteḥ |
pravartako nāparo ‚taḥ kāmād anyaḥ pratīyate || iti |

akāmata iti manu-vacanam | anyat spaṣṭam

Viśvanātha

eṣa kāma eva viṣayābhilāṣātmakaḥ puruṣaṃ pāpe pravartayati tenaiva prayuktaḥ puruṣaḥ pāpaṃ caratīty arthaḥ | eṣa kāma eva pṛthaktvena dṛśyamāna eṣa pratyakṣaḥ krodho bhavati | kāma eva kenacit pratihato bhūtvā krodhākāreṇa pariṇamatīty arthaḥ | kāmo rajo-guṇa-samudbhava iti rājasāt kāmād eva tāmasaḥ krodho jāyate ity arthaḥ | kāmasya apekṣita-pūraṇena nivṛttiḥ syād iti cen nety āha mahāśano mahad aśanaṃ yasya saḥ |

yat pṛthivyāṃ vrīhi-yavaṃ hiraṇyaṃ paśavaḥ striyaḥ |
nālam ekasya tat sarvam iti matvā śamaṃ vrajet || iti smṛteḥ |

kāmasyāpekṣitaṃ pūrayitum aśakyam eva | nanu dānena sandhātum aśakyaś cet sāma-bhedābhyāṃ sa sva-vaśīkartavyaḥ | tatrāha mahā-pāpmātyugraḥ

Baladeva

tatrāha bhagavān kāma iti | kāmaḥ prāktana-vāsanā-hetukaḥ śabdādi-viṣayako ‚bhilāṣaḥ puruṣaṃ pāpe prerayati tad anicchum api so ‚sya preraka ity arthaḥ | nanv abhicārādau krodho ‚pi prerako dṛṣṭaḥ sa cendriyasyety ādaubhavatāpi pṛthag ukta iti cet, satyam | na sa tasmāt pṛthak, kintv eṣa kāma eva kenacic cetanena pratihataḥ krodho bhavati | dugdham ivāmlena yuktaṃ dadhi | kāma-jaya eva krodha-jaya iti bhāvaḥ | kīdṛśaḥ kāma ity āha rajo-guṇeti | sattva-vṛddhyā rajasi nirjite kāmo nirjitaḥ syād ity arthaḥ | na cāpekṣita-pradānena kāmasya nivṛttir ity āha mahāśana iti |

yat pṛthivyāṃ vrīhi-yavaṃ hiraṇyaṃ paśavaḥ striyaḥ |
nālam ekasya tat sarvam iti matvā śamaṃ vrajet || iti smaraṇāt |

na ca sāmnā bhedena vā sa vaśībhaved ity āha mahāpāpmeti | yo ‚tyugro viveka-jñāna-vilopena niṣiddhe ‚pi pravartayati tasmād iha dāna-yoge enaṃ vairiṇaṃ viddhi tathā ca jñānādibhis tribhir upāyaiḥ sandhātum aśakyatvād vakṣyamāṇena daṇḍena sa hantavya iti bhāvaḥ | īśvaraḥ karmāntaritaḥ parjanyavat sarvatra prerakaḥ | kāmas tu svayam eva pāpmāgre iti tathoktam

translations

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