धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च | यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् || ३८ ||
dhūmenāvriyate vahnir yathādarśo malena ca yatholbenāvṛto garbhas tathā tenedam āvṛtam
dhūmena—by smoke; āvriyate—is covered; vahniḥ—fire; yathā—just as; ādarśaḥ—mirror; malena—by dust; ca—also; yathā—just as; ulbena—by the womb; āvṛtaḥ—is covered; garbhaḥ—embryo; tathā—similarly; tena—by that lust; idam—this; āvṛtam—is covered.
“As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror by dust, and as an embryo by the womb — so is consciousness covered by desire.”
The three analogies are graduated in depth of concealment: smoke only partially hides fire; dust covers more completely; the womb completely envelops the embryo. These represent the three degrees to which desire covers the soul's inherent luminosity — from minor cloudiness to near-total obscuration. But crucially, in all three cases the underlying reality remains unchanged. The fire is not extinguished; the mirror is not destroyed; the child is alive. So too, the Self is never actually touched by desire.
When you feel dull, confused, or incapable of clear thinking, consider whether desire or craving is clouding your judgment. As smoke clears when the wind blows, the mind clears when desire is recognised and released — through inquiry, meditation, or prayer. The clarity is already present underneath; the practice is simply removing the covering.