धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च |
यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ||३-३८||
dhūmenāvriyate vahniryathādarśo malena ca . yatholbenāvṛto garbhastathā tenedamāvṛtam ||3-38||
3.38 As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust, and as an embryo by the amnion, so is this enveloped by that.
3.38 धूमेन by smoke? आव्रियते is enveloped? वह्निः fire? यथा as? आदर्शः a mirror? मलेन by dust? च and? यथा as? उल्बेन by the amnion? आवृतः enveloped? गर्भः embryo? तथा so? तेन by it? इदम् this? आवृतम् enveloped.Commentary This means the universe. This also means knowledge. That means desire.
Non-dualism. The individual self and Brahman are one. The world is appearance (maya). Liberation through knowledge.
3.38 Yatha, as; vahnih, fire, which is naturally bright; avriyate, is enveloped; dhumena, by smoke, which is born concomitantly (with fire) and is naturally dark; or as adarsah, a mirror; is covered malena, by dirt; ca, and; garbhah, a foetus; is avrtah, enclosed; ulbena, in the womb by the amnion; tatha, so; is idam, this; avrtam, shrouded; tena, by that. Again, what is that which is indicated by the word idam (this), and which is covered by desire? The answer is:
3.38 As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dirt, and as a foetus remains enclosed in the womb, so in this shrouded by that.
This interpretation draws on the Advaita tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.
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