Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 22

मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात्ततोऽपि विशेषः ॥२२॥

mṛdu-madhya-adhimātratvāt-tataḥ api viśeṣaḥ ||22||

Hence also distinctions of
mildness, moderateness and extremeness.

mṛdu - mildnessmadhya - moderateness; middle, central, being in the middle or centre; Intervening, intermediate; standing between two, impartial, neutraladhimātra - excessive; above measure; extremetatas - hence, from thatapi - even, also, although; very; something more; moreoverviśeṣa - distinction, difference between; a kind, species, individual; characteristic difference, peculiar mark, special property, speciality, peculiarity

Commentaries and Reflections

Commentary by T Krishnamacharya:

“Three types of Śiṣya:
1. The student doesn’t get started e.g. doesn’t get beyond Saṃkalpa
2. The student starts, but when there is an obstacle, stops.
3. The student starts, but when there is an obstacle, takes it as a challenge”

Commentary by TKV Desikachar:

“It is not the number of hours in Meditation,
the type of Ratio in Prāṇāyāma,
the number of times you turn the Mālā,
it is the intensity of the attempt.”

Commentary by Paul Harvey:

“Hence also the distinctions of
mildness,
moderateness and
extremeness.”

Inspirational Quote

“’I may be stupid,’ interrupted the colonel, ‘but the distinction escapes me. I guess I'm pretty stupid, because the distinction escapes me.’” Joseph Heller