Bhagavad-gītā 3.37
Read once with your eyes. Read again aloud.
श्री भगवानुवाच काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः। महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम्।।3.37।।
śhrī bhagavān uvācha kāma eṣha krodha eṣha rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ mahāśhano mahā-pāpmā viddhyenam iha vairiṇam
It is desire:it is anger, born of the Rajo-guna: of great craving, and of great sin; know this as the foe here (in this world).
English rendering by Swami Swarupananda. Public domain first edition, 1909.
Build the sentence from its parts
Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.
| Sanskrit form | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| śhri-bhagavān uvācha | the Supreme Lord said |
| kāmaḥ | desire |
| eṣhaḥ | this |
| krodhaḥ | wrath |
| eṣhaḥ | this |
| rajaḥ-guṇa | the mode of passion |
| samudbhavaḥ | born of |
| mahā-aśhanaḥ | all-devouring |
| mahā-pāpmā | greatly sinful |
| viddhi | know |
| enam | this |
| iha | in the material world |
| vairiṇam | the enemy |
Begin with the verse itself, then trace its movement through śhri-bhagavān uvācha (the Supreme Lord said), samudbhavaḥ (born of), and vairiṇam (the enemy). Ask what changes between the first and last term, and how that movement contributes to work offered without possessiveness. State the connection in your own words, then check it against Bhagavad-gita 3.37.
Original school explanation. Written independently from the Sanskrit word map. It is not a quotation, translation, or summary of a named modern commentary. Chapter lens: Distinguish action, duty, sacrifice, example, desire and attachment without treating karma-yoga as inactivity.
Five careful reading routes
The cards below are reading references, not claims about what an acharya says in this verse. Modern wording stays inside authorized editions. Classical commentary will appear only after an independent translation has passed scholarly and rights review.
Meaning map
Follow the thought
- 1
it is anger, born of the Rajo-guna
- 2
of great craving
- 3
know this as the foe here (in this world)
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A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Bhagavad-gita As It IsFor Bhagavad-gita 3.37, consult the authorized BBT edition. No purport, translation, or author-attributed summary is reproduced here.
Find the authorized editionBhaktivinoda Thakura
Rasika-ranjanaA verified independent rendering for Bhagavad-gita 3.37 has not yet passed scholarly and rights review. Modern translations are not copied here.
Independent rendering pending reviewBaladeva Vidyabhushana
Gita-bhushana-bhashyaThe original work is classical. A newly commissioned or independently prepared translation for Bhagavad-gita 3.37 must be verified before publication.
Independent translation pending reviewVishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura
Sarartha-varshini-tikaThe original work is classical. A newly commissioned or independently prepared translation for Bhagavad-gita 3.37 must be verified before publication.
Independent translation pending reviewOther Gaudiya acharyas
Authorized Gaudiya editionsFor Bhagavad-gita 3.37, later teachers remain a further-reading route. Their wording and distinctive teaching structures require permission or a separate rights review.
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