Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 34
वितर्का हिंसादयः कृतकारितानुमोदिता लोभक्रोधमोहापूर्वका मृदुमध्य अधिमात्रा दुःखाज्ञानानन्तफला इति प्रतिपक्षभावनम् ॥३४॥
vitarkāḥ hiṃsā-ādayaḥ kṛta-kārita-anumoditāḥ lobha-krodha-moha-pūrvakāḥ mṛdu-madhya-adhimātrāḥ duḥkha-ajñāna-ananta-phalāḥ iti pratipakṣa-bhāvanam ||34||
Negative deliberation such as harming and the rest;
may be done, brought about, or by approval;
is preceded by greed, anger or delusion;
may be mild, moderate or excessive;
its endless fruits are suffering and ignorance;
thus cultivate the opposite side.
Commentaries and Reflections
Commentary by T Krishnamacharya:
“Mano Vikāra –
Some actions I have done I have not got what I want.
Therefore this brings out certain changes
in certain mental processes and
a change in bodily activity.”
“Today this world is ‘standing’ on Vitarka
and it expands because of association.
It grows without any effort.
One has to put in special effort (Sādhana).
Otherwise nothing changes.”
Commentary by Paul Harvey:
“Moha is a state of delusion, such as expressing
what is merely a self-opinion as if it is a reality.
Because expressing an opinion as if it’s a reality,
does not in fact actually mean that it will be true.
So how can we discern as to whether an opinion
that we experience as if a reality, is really true?”