Shloka

धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च |
यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ||३-३८||

Transliteration

dhūmenāvriyate vahniryathādarśo malena ca .
yatholbenāvṛto garbhastathā tenedamāvṛtam ||3-38||

Translations

Dr.S.Sankaranarayan

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).

Shri Purohit Swami

3.38 As fire is shrouded in smoke, a mirror by dust and a child by the womb, so is the universe enveloped in desire.

Sri Abhinav Gupta

3.38 Dhumena etc. [The foe’s 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.

Sri Ramanuja

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:

Sri Shankaracharya

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:

Swami Adidevananda

3.38 As a fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, and as an embryo is encased in the membrane, so is this (worldA) enveloped by it (desire).

Swami Gambirananda

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.

Swami Sivananda

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.

Commentaries

Swami Sivananda

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.