Karma Yoga
Chapter 3, Verse 38
dhūmenāvriyate vahniḥ
yathādarśo malena ca
yatholbenāvṛto garbhaḥ
tathā tenedam-āvṛtam
As a fire is covered over by smoke, as a mirror by dust, as an embryo is wrapped by the amnion, so is this world enveloped by desire.
Desire is everywhere, in many kinds and in many forms. All the actions of people are due to these desires. Desires are like dust which accumulates on the surface of a mirror; then the mirror can no longer reflect any object. Even so, the mind gets soiled by impurities in the form of sin. It is no longer able to reveal the true nature of things or its own, true duty. That’s why someone with an impure and sinful mind cannot correctly judge things. They don’t know what is ‘good’ and what is ‘bad’. In this deep ignorance, the Light of truth is covered. Knowledge gets covered by ignorance…It is desire alone which makes the mind restless. It is through desire that one becomes evil and does sinful acts, “So, arise, Arjuna! Control this desire. Be wise!”
Bhagavad Gita