Patanjali Yoga Sutra — दुःखानुशयी द्वेषः॥2.8॥
Duḥkhānuśayī dveṣaḥ॥
(The fourth obstacle) dveṣaḥ (aversion) is heading towards and finally dwelling upon despondency.
Here Patañjali deals with the continuing effects of hatred. When the mind constantly engages in hatred, hell-bent on taking revenge, the mind cannot dwell on yoga sādhana. Two things cannot occupy the same place at the same time. This physics rule applies to mind also. Further, whether one is successful or not in taking revenge, happiness is never the final outcome. The launch, the course and the finish — all are painful in aversion. Whether burning firewood burns others or not, first burns itself completely. We need light, not the darkness to drive away the darkness; so does hatred cannot douse the hatred, but the love can, forgiving can. Duryodhana is the best example of this. He used to say, ‘I know I hate my cousins. I am full of animosity. But I am helpless. I cannot change my attitude.’ Thus, Patañjali Maharṣi says, “aversion is heading towards and finally dwelling upon despondency and total annihilation.” Evidently, neither rāga (third obstacle) nor dveṣa (fourth obstacle) is the way to Samādhi, according to Bhagavān:
रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन्।
आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति॥गीता २.६४॥
rāgadveṣaviyuktaistu viṣayānindriyaiścaran.
ātmavaśyairvidheyātmā prasādamadhigacchati ॥Gītā 2.64॥
Sādhaka, having all his internal faculties under his control and being free from rāga and dveṣa (animosity), but still enjoying sense pleasure, is able to get harmony (which aids and leads to spiritual communion with the Supreme Soul — Paramātma).
Contrary to Duryodhana, Dharmarāja never hated anyone. He was full of compassion, concern, consideration. Thus even Daiva (Divine) was on his side. With all his temporary setbacks, he wins the heart of everyone, including his enemies.
A teacher wanted to teach a lesson on hatred to her students. She openly asked the students in the classroom — ‘dear students, do you hate anyone?’ The students answered in affirmative. The teacher said, ‘OK, very nice. Tomorrow you bring as many tomatoes as the number of persons you hate, in a plastic bag’. The next day some students brought 2 tomatoes, some 3, some 4, etc. The teacher checked every plastic bag and said, ‘OK, good. You have to carry these plastic bags containing tomatoes with you for the next four days. The bags should be always with you’.
Yes, the students obeyed the instructions; the bags were always with them. The second day, the tomatoes were rotten and mild smell started. They continued to keep the bags with them. The third-day smell increased and the students retained the bags with them with great difficulty. The fourth day the smell became unbearable and the students rushed to the school to report. They wanted to discard their bags at the earliest on the fourth day. They complained to the teacher, ‘teacher, the smell is unbearable. Please permit us to throw the bags’. Now the teacher said, ‘this is what exactly happens to you when you carry hatred for someone in your heart. You will carry the hatred wherever you go and will contaminate your heart. Gradually the contamination fully percolates to your entire personality and you start stinking. Like discarding the rotten tomatoes, discard and throw the hatred for someone at the earliest. This is in your own good.’
