वितर्का हिंसादयः कृतकारितानुमोदिता लोभक्रोधमोहपूर्वका मृदुमध्याधिमात्रा दुःखाज्ञानानन्तफला इति प्रतिपक्षभावनम्॥३४॥
vitarkaa = negative or perverse thoughts; hiMsaa = violence; AdayaH = etc.; kRuta = performed; kaarita = caused to be done; anumoditaa = allowed; lobha = greed; krodha = anger; moha = infatuation; pUrvakaa = preceded by; mRudu = mild; madhya = medium; adhimaatraa = intense; duHkha = suffering; aj~jaana = ignorance; anaanta = never-ending; phalaa =end results, fruits; iti = thus; pratipakSha = the opposite; bhaavanam = cultivation
Sw. Satchidananda
"When negative thoughts of acts such as violence, etc. are caused to be done or even approved of, whether incited by greed, anger or infatuation, whether indulged in with mild, medium or extreme intensity, they are based on ignorance and bring certain pain. Reflecting thus is also pratipaksha bhavana."
If we bring pain to someone or cause harm to be done to another, reactions will result in ignorance and misery for us. Even if we don’t cause the pain directly, we can merely approve of someone else causing the pain due to our own anger or ignorance.
Bryant
"Negative thoughts are violence, etc. They may be [personally] performed, performed on one’s behalf by another, or authorized by oneself; they may be triggered by greed, anger, or delusion; and they may be slight, moderate, or extreme in intensity. One should cultivate counteracting thoughts, namely, that the end result [of negative thoughts] are ongoing suffering and ignorance."
Vitarkas are thoughts or actions of violence (himsa) etc., contrary to the yamas and niyamas. These can be divided into three categories:
- Performed by oneself (kRuta): e.g., killing an animal oneself
- Performed by others on your behalf: e.g., buying meat that has been killed by someone else
- Approved or authorized by you in some way: e.g., allowing killing of animals to be done in one’s sphere of influence
Manu in his famous Manu Smriti (verse V.51) states, "the one who gives permission, the one who butchers, the one who slaughters, the one who buys and sells, the one who prepares it, the one who serves it, and the eater – they are all killers".
Each of these categories has been further divided into three categories based on intensity – mild, moderate and intense. Additionally, they can be provoked in three ways: by lobha (greed); krodha (anger); or moha (illusion).
Since greed, anger, and delusion can form the basis for violent acts done by oneself, on one’s behalf or authorized by oneself, and can be mild, moderate or intense, there can be up to 27 divisions of violence, as noted by Patanjali. As per Vyasa, the possibilities can be innumerable since there are other factors qualifying violence (e.g., it is OK to kill such and such animal under these circumstances etc.). It must be kept in mind that all these divisions apply to each of the ten yamas and niyamas, with violence serving just as an example in this discussion.
To oppose these thoughts one needs to think of the consequences of acts such as violence. The sutra states that thinking that these acts lead us to unlimited ignorance and suffering, we can develop pratipaksha bhavana (opposing thoughts). The resulting suffering may come either in this life or in a future life. This follows the law of karma which Patanajali has talked about.
Violence can be regarded as a result of the guna ‘tamas’. Perpetuating violence increased tamas which is ignorance of the chitta. Reflecting on these negative consequences, one should not contemplate on committing negative acts like violence.
Discussion
(Commentary by Kailasam Iyer)
Before we try to understand this sutra at the intellectual level let us allow ourselves to revel in the beauty of the sutra, in the choice of words, and the cadence of the string of sounds. Our sages, in addition to being wise, were also poets and dreamers. They experienced with their senses in relief. Sunitha, no stranger to music, had noticed this before. Indulge me as I read it aloud savoring it.
Vitharka himsadhayaha – Perversities are incubators of injuries (to the mind) leading to
Kritha karitha anumodhitha – Done, caused to be done, and approved deeds originating in
Lobha krodha moha purvaka – Greed, anger and delusion of the dimensions of
Mridhu madhya adhimatra – Small medium and large, Soft average and intense degrees resulting in
Dukha agnana ananthapala – Unending consequences of emotional pain and ignorance
Ithi prathipakshabhavanam – Therefore assumption of counterstrategic stance
Doubts, questioning, argument -for- argument-sake (devil’s advocate) etc., have their place in the acquisition of knowledge prior to commitment. Once begun, they hinder the progress towards the goal and in fact produce what our ancestors had considered as the sources of all suffering – emotional pain and poverty of mind. Both can completely inhabit the mind to the point of inertia. Darkness visible!
Vyasa illustrates the significance of the sutra by taking us on a three-fold interrelated journey of the mind. He considers one of the possible perversities among many that can crop up in the mind in some detail and in the process gives us a researcher’s view of the interior landscape of the mind.
We start with the thought of an act of violence and follow the thread of the act which could be performed by ourselves.
- The thought of an act is provoked by one of three major ( out of the possible six) enemies of the Sat (Being) – anger for example. This could consume us in one of three degrees – even the mild is bad enough to cause emotional pain. If you thus also consider acts for which we are agents and acts which we silently go along with, the mind field is clogged with at least eightyone ( 3x3x3x3) ways of impairing you.
- A contemplated act of violence may EITHER be committed OR be restrained by force of will. If committed against another being, deprivation of another’s right to dignity enervates you ( your soul). It produces guilt which even if nobody else notices makes your long life miserable.
- If the wanton act is suppressed for reasons of social pressures and such, it eats you from the inside by erupting in unpredictable ways and shortens your life.
Thus it’s not just don’t do it but don’t even think about it. If the thought arises train your mind to reject (kill) it. The wondrous human mind is rich in layers of many hues and a thought once allowed can reach into the recesses, play out an engaging drama, and drain your energy.
Three things come to my mind. The first is the methodology Vyasa recommends for thinking through a situation and his suggestion for practicing this method until it becomes second nature. The second is the way Valmiki had drawn the life of Ravana in Ramayana to illustrate this sutra. A powerful man- pious, learned, and prosperous – is drawn by temptation and delusion and is destroyed. The third is the image of Nataraja, the Dancing Siva of Thillai. This is not a run-of – the- mill yogic pose. Notice the smile on his face while he has all the passions ( live objects on him, around him, and under his feet) totally subdued. Mythology has it that Lord Siva personally invited Sage Patanjali and Sage Vyagrapada to visit Thillai on the occasion of his Cosmic Dance performance, the anniversary of which is coming up in about a month. As a beginner one might cogitate on Beowulf – the slayer of interior demons. As a skilled practitioner, one might stand on a pillow and stand as Nataraja, Lord of Dance.
We will do well by reflecting on this sutra and remembering the details. Sage Patanjali uses them in the next ten sutras.
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