धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथाऽऽदर्शो मलेन च ।
यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ॥
यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
जैसे धुएँसे अग्नि और मैलसे दर्पण ढक जाता है तथा जैसे जेरसे गर्भ ढका रहता है, ऐसे ही उस कामके द्वारा यह ज्ञान विवेक ढका हुआ है ॥
English
As fire is covered by smoke, a mirror by dust, and a womb by a membrane, so clear seeing is covered by desire.
What this verse means
Desire hides clear seeing just as smoke hides fire, dust hides a mirror, and a womb-covering hides an embryo.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, Arjuna has asked why people do wrong even against their will. Krishna has named desire as the enemy, and now he shows how it works: it does not erase wisdom, it covers it, just as smoke, dust, and a womb-covering hide what is already there.
Why this verse still matters
You know the right thing to say, but the message sits unopened while anger blurs your judgment. The clarity is still there; something is clouding it.
The takeaway
The problem is not lack of intelligence. Something deeper is veiling what you already know.
Word-by-word translation
धूमेन (by smoke) / आव्रियते (is covered) / वह्निः (fire) / यथा (as) / आदर्शः (mirror) / मलेन (by dust) / च (and) / यथा (as) / उल्बेन (by a membrane/womb-covering) / आवृतः (covered) / गर्भः (womb/embryo) / तथा (so) / तेन (by that) / इदम् (this) / आवृतम् (is covered)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3: Karma Yoga — The Yoga of Action, which contains 43 verses.
Explore related themes: kama (23 verses), rajas (21 verses), viveka (15 verses)