Bhagavad Gita — Karma Yoga, Shloka 38
Karma Yoga
धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च । यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ॥ ३.३८ ॥
dhūmenāvriyate vahnir yathādarśo malena ca | yatholbenāvṛto garbhas tathā tenedam āvṛtam || 3.38 ||
Như lửa bị khói che phủ, như gương bị bụi bám, như bào thai bị bao bọc trong dạ mẹ, cũng vậy, điều này bị cái ấy (dục vọng) che lấp.
As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror by dust, as an embryo by the womb, so this is covered by that (desire).
As fire is veiled by smoke, a mirror by grime, and an embryo by the covering, so this (knowledge/clarity) is veiled by that (desire).
Some translations explicitly supply ‘knowledge’ as what is covered; the next verse makes this explicit. The metaphors range from light covering (smoke) to near-total enclosure (embryo), suggesting degrees of obscuration.
FAQs
The imagery depicts how craving can partially or heavily cloud judgment, from mild distraction to deep preoccupation.
It suggests a veiling mechanism: the light of understanding is present but covered, aligning with broader Indian discussions of ignorance as concealment.
It elaborates Krishna’s identification of desire as the chief obstacle by illustrating its effect on clarity.
Recognize degrees of cognitive bias: sometimes a small ‘smoke’ (minor craving) is manageable; sometimes deeper patterns require sustained practice and support.