Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingआवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा।
कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च
āvṛitaṁ jñānam etena jñānino nitya-vairiṇā
kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya duṣhpūreṇānalena cha
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaO son of Kunti, knowledge is covered by this constant enemy of the wise, in the form of desire, which is an insatiable fire.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
हे कौन्तेय ! अग्नि के समान जिसको तृप्त करना कठिन है ऐसे कामरूप, ज्ञानी के इस नित्य शत्रु द्वारा ज्ञान आवृत है।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiआवृतञ् ज्ञान मेतेन
ज्ञा निनो नित्य वैरिणा
काम रूपेण कौन् तेय
दुष् पूरेणा नलेन च
॥ ३९ ॥
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthaāvṛitamcovered
jñānamknowledge
etenaby this
jñāninaḥof the wise
nitya-vairiṇāby the perpetual enemy
kāma-rūpeṇain the form of desires
kaunteyaArjun the son of Kunti
duṣhpūreṇainsatiable
analenalike fire
chaand
Meaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA3.39What is the wise man's constant enemy — and what is its appetite like?
O son of Kunti, knowledge is covered by this constant enemy of the wise, in the form of desire, which is an insatiable fire.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.