यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन ।ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा ॥
yathaidhāṃsi samiddho 'gnir bhasmasāt kurute 'rjuna |jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasāt kurute tathā ||
- यथा · yathā
- as
- एधांसि · edhāṃsi
- fuel, firewood
- समिद्धः · samiddhaḥ
- kindled, blazing
- अग्निः · agniḥ
- fire
- भस्मसात् · bhasmasāt
- to ashes
- कुरुते · kurute
- reduces, makes
- अर्जुन · arjuna
- O Arjuna
- ज्ञानाग्निः · jñānāgniḥ
- the fire of knowledge
- सर्वकर्माणि · sarvakarmāṇi
- all actions
- तथा · tathā
- so
“As a kindled fire reduces fuel to ashes, O Arjuna, so the fire of knowledge reduces all actions to ashes.”
— Original plain-language translation
The promised mechanism of verse 36: knowledge burns the binding power of deeds, not the deeds themselves — ash keeps the shape but not the weight. Fulfilling 4.19's image, the fire leaves the sage active yet unbound. Purification by incineration of motive.
— Reader's notes (original)