yathaidhÄá¹si samiddho ’gnir
bhasma-sÄt kurute ’rjuna
jñÄnÄgniḥ sarva-karmÄṇi
bhasma-sÄt kurute tathÄ
yatha--just as; edhamsi--firewood; samiddhah--blazing; agnih--fire; bhasmasat--turns into ashes; kurute--so does; arjuna--O Arjuna; jnana-agnih--the fire of knowledge; sarva-karmani--all reactions to material activities; bhasmasat--to ashes; kurute--it so does; tatha--similarly.
As the blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.
Perfect knowledge of self and Superself and of their relationship is compared herein to fire. This fire not only burns up all reactions to impious activities, but also all reactions to pious activities, turning them to ashes. There are many stages of reaction: reaction in the making, reaction fructifying, reaction already achieved, and reaction a priori. But knowledge of the constitutional position of the living entity burns everything to ashes. When one is in complete knowledge, all reactions, both a priori and a posteriori, are consumed. In the Vedas it is stated, ubhe uhaivaisa ete taraty amrtah sadhv-asadhuni: "One overcomes both the pious and impious interactions of work."
