3.38
धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च | यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ||३८||
dhūmenāvriyate vahnir yathādarśho malena cha yatholbenāvṛto garbhas tathā tenedam āvṛtam
Translation
As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, the living entity is similarly covered by different degrees of this lust.
Interpretation
Three analogies for how desire covers the Self: (1) Fire covered by smoke — desire is thick enough to obscure, but the fire is accessible with effort. (2) Mirror covered by dust — requires cleaning/spiritual practice to reveal the truth. (3) Embryo enclosed in womb — deeply covered, requires birth (spiritual awakening) to emerge. These represent different degrees of covering.