11/08/2025
Sutra 2.34 reminds us that violence, along with the other breaches of the Yamas, begins as a seed in the mind—a thought, an impulse, an inner image. These thoughts may be acted upon directly by ourselves, instigated through others, or silently condoned by our passive approval. Even without physical action, the mere mental alignment with harm plants karmic seeds.
The source of these harmful thoughts is always one of the three poisons of the mind:
* Greed (lobha) – the grasping desire to take or control for personal gain.
* Anger (krodha) – the impulse to harm, destroy, or reject.
* Delusion (moha) – the ignorance that clouds reality and distorts perception.
These mental states can arise in different intensities—sometimes faint and fleeting, sometimes simmering below the surface, or at times so strong they propel us into speech and action without pause. Patanjali points out that the weight of the karma is not only in the act itself but also in the quality and intensity of the thought behind it.
The antidote is found in deep understanding: all actions rooted in these afflictions lead inevitably to ongoing suffering and spiritual blindness, not just for the one harmed but also for the one who harbors or condones the harm. Violence, dishonesty, theft, sensual exploitation, or greed may seem to “work” in the moment, but they bind us more tightly to cycles of pain and ignorance.
Therefore, the yogi trains the mind to recognize the seed of harm at its earliest stage—before it flowers into speech or action. Through awareness, self-inquiry, and compassion, we learn to redirect these mental currents into their opposites: non-harm, truth, generosity, moderation, and non-grasping. This is not simply moral policing—it is a path to mental clarity and liberation.
As Vyasa’s commentary adds, every thought is a cause, and every cause will bear fruit. The work of yoga is to plant the causes of peace, wisdom, and freedom.
