To explain exactly how this enemy (Kāma/Lust) affects human beings, Krishna provides three progressive metaphors for how knowledge is 'covered' (āvṛtam). 1. As fire is covered by smoke (dhūmenāvriyate vahnir). 2. As a mirror is covered by dust (yathādarśo malena ca). 3. As an embryo is covered by the womb (yatholbenāvṛto garbhas). He concludes: In the exact same way, the pure consciousness of the living entity is covered by this desire (tathā tenedam āvṛtam).