धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च ।
यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृत्तम् ॥ ३८ ॥
dhūmenāvriyate vahnir yathādarśho malena cha
yatholbenāvṛito garbhas tathā tenedam āvṛitam
श्लोक ३८: जैसे अग्नि धुएं से ढकी होती है, दर्पण धूल से ढका होता है,और भ्रूण गर्भ से ढका होता है, वैसे ही सब कुछ वासना से ढका है।
Shloka 38: Just as fire is covered by smoke, a mirror is covered by dust and an embryo is covered by the womb, similarly everything is enveloped by lust.
In Bhagavad Gita 3.38, Lord Krishna identifies desire and anger, born of the rajas guna (passion), as the great enemies that obscure our wisdom and spiritual awareness. The verse uses powerful metaphors to illustrate how these forces, particularly lust or desire, cover our true knowledge in varying degrees.
Krishna employs three distinct analogies to demonstrate the progressive covering of our spiritual awareness: fire covered by smoke, a mirror veiled by dust, and an embryo enveloped in the womb. Each metaphor represents a different level of obstruction that desire creates in our consciousness, from mild interference to complete blindness regarding spiritual truths.
In the first analogy, when fire is covered by smoke, the fire can still function despite being partially obscured. This represents the earliest stage where desire begins to affect our judgment but hasn't completely overwhelmed it. We retain some ability to discern spiritual truths, though they may appear somewhat hazy or unclear.
The second comparison is to a mirror covered by dust. Here, while you might still see the outline of the mirror, its reflective function becomes compromised. Similarly, when desire grows stronger, our intellect might still function for worldly matters, but our ability to reflect on and understand deeper spiritual realities becomes significantly impaired. We begin making decisions based on desires rather than wisdom.
The third and most severe stage is compared to an embryo covered by the womb. In this state, the embryo is completely enveloped and restricted in movement. This represents how deep-seated desires can entirely engulf our consciousness, leaving us unable to recognize spiritual truth at all. At this stage, a person might completely identify with their desires, considering them normal or even celebratory, having lost all perspective on their spiritual nature.
This verse serves as a warning that if left unchecked, the influence of desire doesn't remain static but progressively thickens around our consciousness. What begins as a slight haze can eventually become an impenetrable darkness that blinds us even in the brightest spiritual light. Krishna is teaching Arjuna that everyone faces this enemy to different degrees, and without vigilance, its grip only tightens over time.
The essence of this teaching is that desire dulls our awareness of our true spiritual identity. It creates a false identification with the material body and its cravings, leading us further from understanding our spiritual nature. When completely under the influence of desire, we mistake material indulgence for fulfillment, unaware that we are spiritual beings meant for higher consciousness rather than temporary material gratification.
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