3.39 O Arjuna, wisdom is enveloped by this constant enemy of the wise in the form of desire, which is unappeasable as fire.

3.39 Avrtam etc. Looks like a desired one : For it acts when there is desire. It is fire, because it is like fire impossible to satiate. For, it burns down both the visible and the invisible results [of rightious actions].

3.39. O son of Kunti, by this insatiable fire-like enemy of the wise, which is ever the foe of the discerning, man's discrimination is veiled. Commentary: 'By this' – In the thirty-seventh verse, the Lord indicated 'kāma' (desire) as the principal cause of instigating sin. That same desire is referred to here by the word 'by this'. 'By the insatiable fire' – Just as fire is never satiated, rather only increases, by continuously offering ghee (which is pleasing and favorable) into it, similarly, desire is never satiated by continuously enjoying objects favorable to it; rather, it only increases more and more (Note p.194). Whatever object comes before it, desire, like fire, consumes it. The desire for enjoyment and accumulation is never fulfilled. The more objects of enjoyment are obtained, the more the hunger for them increases. The reason is that desire pertains only to the inert (material); therefore, through association with the inert, it is never destroyed but only increases more and more. Sundaradāsa writes: "If it gets ten, twenty, fifty, a hundred, it will then ask for a thousand, then a lakh. It will kindle a desire for crores, billions, trillions, an incalculable amount, to become the lord of the earth. Even if you rule over heaven and the netherworld, the fire of this insatiable craving will blaze. O fool, without contentment, your hunger will never be appeased." For example, upon receiving a hundred rupees, a hunger for a thousand rupees arises, which proves a loss of nine hundred rupees. Upon receiving a thousand rupees, a hunger for ten thousand rupees directly arises, which is a loss of nine thousand rupees. Upon receiving ten thousand rupees, a hunger for one lakh rupees directly arises, which is a loss of ninety thousand rupees. Upon receiving one lakh rupees, one is not satisfied even with ten lakhs; rather, a hunger for a crore directly arises, which proves a loss of ninety-nine lakh rupees. In this way, the delusion is that profit has increased, but in reality, the loss has only increased. The more wealth one gets, the more poverty (hunger for wealth) increases. In truth, poverty is removed only for one who has no hunger for wealth. "When desire went, worry vanished, the mind became carefree. He who desires nothing, he is the emperor of emperors." In reality, wealth is not as much an obstacle as the desire for it is. The desire for wealth, whether in the rich or the poor, keeps both deprived of attaining God. Desire is never fulfilled for anyone; because it is not something that can be fulfilled. One can only be free from desire when desire itself is destroyed. 'In the form of desire' – The craving for happiness arising from association with the inert is called 'kāma'. To attribute even a little importance to the perishable world is 'kāma'. The craving to obtain the unattained is 'kāmanā' (desire). The many subtle desires lying latent within the inner being are called 'vāsanā' (latent impressions). The perception of need for objects is 'spṛhā' (longing). Seeing excellence and dearness in an object is 'āsakti' (attachment). Holding the possibility of obtaining an object is 'āśā' (hope). And wanting more objects is 'lobha' or 'tṛṣṇā' (greed or thirst). When the desire for an object increases greatly, it becomes 'yācanā' (begging). All these are forms of 'kāma' alone. 'The eternal enemy of the wise' – Here the word 'of the wise' refers to discerning aspirants engaged in spiritual practice. The reason is that only a discerning aspirant recognizes this enemy in the form of desire and destroys it. Others who do not engage in spiritual practice do not recognize it at all; rather, they consider it to be pleasurable. The Lord says that this desire is the eternal enemy of discerning aspirants. As soon as desire arises, the discerning aspirant thinks that now some trouble or other will come! Desire contains the importance and reliance on the world, which is a great obstacle on the spiritual path. From the very beginning, desire pricks the discerning aspirant. In the end, desire gives sorrow to everyone. Therefore, it is the constant (perpetual) enemy of the aspirant. To ignorant people engrossed in enjoyments, this desire appears like a friend; because it is due to desire alone that pleasure seems to arise from enjoyments. If there were no desire, objects of enjoyment could not give pleasure. But in the end, they certainly attain sorrow, anguish, bondage, hell, etc. Therefore, in reality, this desire is also the eternal enemy of the ignorant. However, the ignorant lack awareness, whereas discerning aspirants possess awareness. 'Veiled is knowledge' – Discrimination exists in all living beings. In non-human species like animals, birds, etc., this discrimination does not blossom and remains limited only to sustaining life. But in a human, if there were no desire, this discrimination could blossom; because it is due to desire alone that man's discrimination remains veiled. When discrimination is veiled, man cannot progress towards his goal of God-realization, because desire does not allow him to go towards the conscious principle, rather keeps him attached to the inert principle alone. If someone speaks unpleasant and untrue words to one's own self, it feels bad, and if someone speaks pleasant and true words, it feels good. This means that the knowledge of good and bad, virtue and vice, duty and non-duty, etc., i.e., discrimination, exists in all humans. But even so, if he speaks unpleasant and untrue words, does not perform his duty, then the reason for this is that desire has veiled his discrimination. It is due to desire alone that the knowledge that 'there is happiness in renunciation' does not function. It appears to man that happiness comes from obtaining favorable objects of enjoyment, but in reality, happiness comes from their renunciation. It is everyone's experience that in the waking and dream states, due to association with objects of enjoyment, both happiness and sorrow occur, but in deep sleep, when there is not even the slightest memory of objects of enjoyment, there is only happiness, no sorrow. Therefore, upon waking from deep sleep, one says, "I slept very happily." Besides this, fatigue comes from waking and dream, whereas from deep sleep fatigue is removed and freshness comes. This proves that happiness lies only in the renunciation of objects of enjoyment. As soon as there is desire for wealth, wealth is grasped by the mind. When wealth is obtained from outside, then the wealth grasped by the mind is relinquished and a sense of happiness is felt. Therefore, in reality, the sense of happiness did not occur upon obtaining wealth from outside, rather it occurred only upon relinquishing the wealth grasped by the mind. If happiness came merely from obtaining wealth, then sorrow would never come while that wealth remains; but even while that wealth remains, sorrow does come. When a man desires any object, he becomes dependent on it. For example, a desire for a watch arose in his mind. As soon as the desire arises, he begins to feel the sorrow of the absence of the watch; this is dependence on the watch. He thinks that if he gets money, he will buy the watch immediately, meaning he considers himself independent if he has money and dependent if he does not. This notion is completely wrong. In reality, upon getting money, dependence on the watch may be gone, but dependence on money has certainly occurred; because money is also 'other', not 'self'. Just as he became dependent on the object due to desire for it, similarly, he became dependent on money due to desire for it. Dependence remained exactly as it was! But because discrimination is veiled by desire, man experiences dependence on the object, but does not experience dependence on money; rather, due to money, he experiences independence. That dependence which appears in the form of independence is very difficult to be free from. The entire world is momentary. All worldly objects like the body, wealth, land, house, etc., are all moving towards destruction every moment and are also becoming separated from us. But while enjoying, the knowledge of their momentariness is not present. Without considering objects as permanent and stable, enjoyment of happiness is simply not possible. Not to speak of ordinary people, even an aspirant gets entangled in enjoyments only by considering them as permanent and stable. The reason for this is the veiling of discrimination by desire. Special Point: With the purpose of making man eternally great, the Lord, by declaring desire as the 'eternal enemy', cautions him to beware of it; because desire alone is the cause of all sins and sorrows. A man was searching for his wife. People asked: "What is your wife's name?" He said: "Disgrace." Then they asked: "What is your name?" He said: "Scoundrel." People said: "Don't worry, she is a very chaste wife, she will come on her own!" The reason is that a scoundrel certainly gets disgrace (ill-repute). Similarly, sorrows come on their own to the man who desires the perishable enjoyments of the world. Man wishes to avoid sorrows, but does not abandon 'kāma' (desire), the cause of sorrows. Even in dreams, no happiness is attained while desire remains – "With desire intact, not even in dreams is there happiness" (Mānasa 7.90.1). By the words 'by the insatiable fire', the Lord indicates that desire is never fulfilled by objects of enjoyment. The more objects of enjoyment are obtained, the more the desire for them increases, and the more desire increases, the more the sense of lack is experienced, and to remove that lack, man engages in sinful actions. For example, when desire for wealth arises, man does not consider justice or injustice in acquiring wealth. Then, with increased desire (in the second stage), he even engages in theft, robbery, etc. Then, with even more increased desire (in the third stage), he even kills others for wealth. In this way, the man who desires perishable happiness makes both this world and the next into great sorrow. Connection: To destroy an enemy, it is necessary to know its dwelling places; therefore, in the next verse, the Lord tells the dwelling places of 'kāma', the eternal enemy of the wise.