B.G 3.38, 39, and 40

धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथाऽदर्शो मलेन च। यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ॥३८॥

dhūmēnāvriyatē vahniryathā'darśō malēna ca। yathōlbēnāvr̥tō garbhastathā tēnēdamāvr̥tam ॥38॥

Just as fire covered by smoke, mirror covered by dirt, and the womb covered by the embryo, is not seen, similarly, this (supreme being, the inner heart and the being) are covered by that (desire).

आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा। कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च ॥३९॥

āvr̥taṁ jñānamētēna jñāninō nityavairiṇā। kāmarūpēṇa kauntēya duṣpūrēṇānalēna ca ॥39॥

O son of Kunti, Arjuna, This knowledge of the knower is covered by the eternal enemy in the form of desire that is difficult to satisfy, and is like a fire that does not stay as is.

इंद्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते। एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम् ॥४०॥

iṁdriyāṇi manō budidharasyādhiṣṭhānamucyatē। ētairvimōhayatyēṣa jñānamāvr̥tya dēhinam ॥40॥

It is said that the senses, the mind, and the intellect are the places where it resides. By these desire envelops the knowledge of the embodied one.

Gīta Bhāshya 3.38, 39 and 40

'idam' i.e. 'this' is equated to the supreme being with the example of fire, to the inner heart by the example of mirror, and to the being with the example of embryo. 'tēna', i.e. 'that' is the desire which covers all three. 'kāmarūpēṇa' translates to 'known as desire'. 'duṣpūrēṇa', i.e. difficult to satisfy because desire always culminates in suffering. 'anala' i.e. 'fire' or 'one that does not stay as is'. Desire is the enemy to be defeated. So the place where it resides is revealed in the verse 3.40. 'Intellect is enveloped' means, orienting towards objects of senses.

How is the desire opponent? As this is covered by that, i.e. the way fire is covered by smoke, similarly even though the supreme being is of the form of effulgence, for others, He is not correctly perceived. The way a mirror covered by dirt cannot manifest the personality properly, similarly the inner heart covered by desire, cannot become the cause of one's personality. The way an embryo covered by womb becomes bound, similarly the being is bound by the desire.

Even though the knowledge is born from the scriptures, the direct perception of the Supreme being is not manifested, as knowledge is enveloped by desire even among the knowledgeable. 'kāmarūpēṇa' translates to 'known as desire', which is the eternal enemy. It is called 'duṣpūrēṇa', i.e. difficult to satisfy, as indeed, desire culminates in suffering. The title of Indra and others are not obtained easily. Even if the title of Indra and others are obtained, the deluded one again desires Brahma and such higher titles without being satisfied. Hence, it is called 'anala' i.e. 'fire' or 'one that does not stay as is'. Therefore, it is stated:

"Like smoke is to fire, the knowledge is to Brahman, like dirt is to mirror, impurity is to intellect, and like womb to the embryo is desire to the living being."

-states testimonials.

To make it easy to kill the enemy (in the form of desire), its foundation is explained in the verse 'iṁdriyāṇi', i.e. senses. These envelopes the knowledge, means the intellect becomes covered by knowledge related to the objects of senses.