आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा ।कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च ॥
āvṛtaṃ jñānametena jñānino nityavairiṇā |kāmarūpeṇa kaunteya duṣpūreṇānalena ca ||
Knowledge is covered, O son of Kunti, by this constant enemy of the wise, which takes the form of desire and is as insatiable as fire.
Explanation
Krishna is continuing his answer to Arjuna about what drives a person to act wrongly. Here he names desire (kāma) as the wise person's lasting enemy: it covers over knowledge (jñāna) and, like a fire, is never satisfied however much it is fed. Traditions differ on whether jñāna here means knowledge of the Self or general discernment, but all agree that desire clouds clear seeing.