Mirror of the Mind

 Shri Prahlad says that the smoke covering fire analogy explaining tamas describes the mind covering the soul and causing it to be distressed by this black smoke of doubt, illusion, fear, and not knowing one's true identity. It fluctuates like an unsteady fire, due to the disturbance of desires and habits. Fire is unsteady when the wood is wet or there is a wind. And unsteady fire produces thick heavy smoke. The unsteady mind is not able to decide one thing over the other.

The dust covered mirror analogy describes the intellect covered with the dust of not knowing who we truly are. It is corrupted by the mind to attend to the needs of the mind and body at the cost of planning properly for the long-term.

The embryo in the womb analogy describes the false ego covering the soul, disallowing the identity of the child within the womb to be revealed. This false ego causes the soul to identify with the body, mind, intellect, and a variety of upadhis, keeping it from establishing itself in truth.

Chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra attentively and eagerly can expedite the process of quickly discovering the sat cit ananda soul within these coverings. From that position, the soul is able to live a life based on fearlessness, knowing its true identity beyond the material coverings.

However, Shri Prahlad seems to indicate that the ego and other elements still cause the soul trouble, but with the help of the truth, the mantra, the soul can resist the urge of the ego for the many things it wishes to control. The perception of others, concerned with honor and dishonor, etc.