136. Delusion of Polarities
K rishna says, “All beings are subject to delusive ignorance ( sammohan ) by the delusion of the pairs of opposites ( dwandwa-moha ) springing from longing and aversion ( iccha-dwesh )” (7.27). There are two fundamental delusions we are subject to. One is caused by three gunas ( yoga-maya ) (7.25) and the other by polarities of longing and aversion. When one is transcended, the other is automatically surpassed. Ignorance is the first level of delusion and misery is its consequence. This misery is nothing but the pain one eventually experiences while chasing its polar opposite -pleasure. The next level of delusion is suppression where one gets trained to put up a pleasing personality to show the outside world that one is free of polarities of longing and aversion. They even look down on others and Krishna earlier termed them as hypocrites (3.6). But the reality is that these suppressions are hidden inside and come out at a weak moment. To attain the final state of witne...