Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 38

Chapter 3 – Karma Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च ।
यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ॥

Transliteration

dhūmenāvriyate vahniryathādarśo malena ca .
yatholbenāvṛto garbhastathā tenedamāvṛtam ॥

Meaning

As fire is covered by smoke, a mirror by dust, and the embryo by the womb membrane, so is this knowledge covered by that desire.

Word meanings

धूमेन – by smoke
आव्रियते – is covered
वह्निः – fire
यथा – as
आदर्शः – mirror
मलेन – by dust
च – and
उल्बेन – by the womb membrane
आवृतः – covered
गर्भः – the embryo
तथा – so
तेन – by that (desire)
इदम् – this (knowledge)
आवृतम् – is covered

Anvaya (word order)

यथा वह्निः धूमेन, आदर्शः मलेन च, गर्भः उल्बेन आवृतः, तथा तेन इदम् आवृतम् ।

Explanation

The Lord uses three beautiful similes to show how desire covers knowledge. The first is of fire covered by smoke. The fire exists, but the smoke dims it; a little breeze or dry fuel and the smoke clears. This is the faintest veil, such as desire has in its gentlest form, comparable to sattva.

The second simile is of a mirror covered by dust. A mirror by nature shows reflections, but when dust settles it does not show clearly. By wiping it can be made bright again. This is the middle covering, from desire dominated by rajas. The third is of the embryo wrapped in its membrane. Here the child is fully covered and wholly unseen. This is the deep covering of desire dominated by tamas.

Shankara says these three similes represent three degrees of the veiling of knowledge. The central point is that knowledge is not destroyed, only covered. Fire, mirror and child are each complete in themselves.

The meaning is that Self-knowledge is present within us. Spiritual practice is not gaining something new but removing the cover. As fire shines when smoke lifts, discrimination appears when the mist of desire thins.

Context

Verse 3.37 named desire as the enemy. Verse 3.38 explains by similes how it veils knowledge. In 3.39 it will be called the constant foe of the wise.

Life lesson

Your inner understanding and peace are not lost; they are only hidden in the smoke of desires and impulses. Remove the veil by steady practice; your real nature is pure.

Key terms

Avarana: a covering or veil
Adarsha: a mirror
Ulba: the membrane enclosing the embryo