धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथाऽऽदर्शो मलेन च।यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ॥

Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.

• 3.36Arjuna said, "But what compels man to commit sin, even against his wishes, O Varshneya (Krishna), as if constrained by force?"
• 3.37The Blessed Lord said, "It is desire and it is anger, both of the quality of Rajas, all-devouring and all-sinful; know this as the foe here in this world."

• 3.38As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, and as an embryo is surrounded by the amniotic sac, so is this enveloped by that.

• 3.39O Arjuna, wisdom is enveloped by this constant enemy of the wise, in the form of desire, which is insatiable like fire.
• 3.40The senses, the mind, and the intellect are said to be its seat; through these, it deludes the embodied one, veiling their wisdom.
• 3.41Therefore, O best of the Bharatas, control your senses first and then kill this sinful thing, which destroys knowledge and realization.
• 3.42They say that the senses are superior to the body; the mind is superior to the senses; the intellect is superior to the mind; and He (the Self) is superior even to the intellect.
• 3.43Thus, knowing Him who is superior to the intellect and restraining the self by the Self, slay thou, O mighty-armed Arjuna, the enemy in the form of desire, hard to conquer.

dhūmena

by smoke

āvriyate

is covered

vahniḥ

fire

yathā

just as

ādarśhaḥ

mirror

malena

by dust

cha

also

ulbena

by the womb

āvṛitaḥ

is covered

garbhaḥ

embryo

tathā

similarly

tena

by that (desire)

idam

this

āvṛitam

is covered