Shankaracharya's commentary, trans. Alladi Mahadeva Sastry (1897)
[1]As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust, as an embryo by the womb, so is this enveloped by that.
BG 3.38
धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च । यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ॥
dhūmenāvriyate vahnir yathādarśo malena ca | yatholbenāvṛto garbhas tathā tenedam āvṛtam ||
"Fire covered by smoke, mirror by dust, embryo by womb — so is wisdom covered by desire. The cover varies in density."
All public-domain translations
5 translations · all pre-1928 or released to public domain · sources
Swami Swarupananda, Srimad Bhagavad Gita (1909)
[4]As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust, as an embryo by the womb, so is this enveloped by that.
William Quan Judge, The Bhagavad Gita (1890)
[6]As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust, as the embryo by the womb, so is this covered by that.
Sir Edwin Arnold, The Song Celestial (1885)
[7]As fire is swathed in smoke, as mirror glass By dust, as embryo is wrapped in womb, So wisdom hid by this!
K.T. Telang, Sacred Books of the East Vol. 8 (1882)
[9]As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust, as an embryo is enclosed in the womb, so is this enveloped by it.