धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथाऽऽदर्शो मलेन च।
यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम्।।3.38।।
3.38 As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dirt, and as a foetus remains enclosed in the womb, so in this shrouded by that.
3.38 As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust, and as an embryo by the amnion, so is this enveloped by that.
3.38. As the fire is concealed by smoke and a mirror by dirt, and as the embryo is concealed by membrance-cover, so He is concealed by this (foe).
3.38 धूमेन by smoke? आव्रियते is enveloped? वह्निः fire? यथा as? आदर्शः a mirror? मलेन by dust? च and? यथा as? उल्बेन by the amnion? आवृतः enveloped? गर्भः embryo? तथा so? तेन by it? इदम् this? आवृतम् enveloped.Commentary This means the universe. This also means knowledge. That means desire.
3.38 Yatha, as; vahnih, fire, which is naturally bright; avriyate, is enveloped; dhumena, by smoke, which is born concomitantly (with fire) and is naturally dark; or as adarsah, a mirror; is covered malena, by dirt; ca, and; garbhah, a foetus; is avrtah, enclosed; ulbena, in the womb by the amnion; tatha, so; is idam, this; avrtam, shrouded; tena, by that. Again, what is that which is indicated by the word idam (this), and which is covered by desire? The answer is:
3.38 Dhumena etc. [The foes tripple nature viz.] being a mischivous appendage, himself creating mischieves, and being an object of disgust, is explained by the triad of these similes. He : the Self.
3.38 As a fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust and as an embryo by the membrance, so are the embodied beings covered by this desire. Sri Krsna teaches the mode of this envelopement:
Lust is not just an enemy for some, but an enemy for all. This is explained with examples. The example illustrates various; degrees of lust: shallow, deep and very deep. The fire, though covered by smoke, still performs its function of burning. Because of the disappearance of its natural clarity, the mirror covered by dust does not carry out its function of reflecting images properly, though it is known as a mirror by its form (in spite of the dust covering it). The fetus covered by the womb cannot perform its functions of stretching it hands and feet. Its true form cannot be understood within that covering. When lust is shallow, it is possible to remember the spiritual goals. When lust is deep, it is not possible. When it is very deep, one becomes unconscious. In this way, the universe (idam) is covered by lust.
The inimical nature of kama or lust is being illustrated here by Lord Krishna giving three clear examples, concluding that spiritual knowledge is completely covered by kama as well.
The atma or soul is not perceivable by a human being. Why is this so? It is because the atma is enveloped within and when the senses are excited kama or lust manifests itself explosively completely covering the atma and that is why kama is such a formidable adversary. Kama so thickly covers the atma that it cannot be perceived and Lord Krishna gives three examples to emphasise this.
Lord Krishna is giving the three examples to indicate the varying degrees of kama or lust and that everyone is immersed in kama in some way that this is the situation in the world. How kama envelopes the mind and the intellect is coming next.
Lord Krishna is giving the three examples to indicate the varying degrees of kama or lust and that everyone is immersed in kama in some way that this is the situation in the world. How kama envelopes the mind and the intellect is coming next.
Dhoomenaavriyate vahnir yathaadarsho malena cha; Yatholbenaavrito garbhas tathaa tenedam aavritam.
dhūmena—by smoke; āvriyate—is covered; vahniḥ—fire; yathā—just as; ādarśhaḥ—mirror; malena—by dust; cha—also; yathā—just as; ulbena—by the womb; āvṛitaḥ—is covered; garbhaḥ—embryo; tathā—similarly; tena—by that (desire); idam—this; āvṛitam—is covered
