sati mūle tadvipāko jātyāyur-bhogāḥ
"As long as the root (kleshas) exists, its ripening will manifest as birth, lifespan, and material enjoyment."
Yoga Sutra 2:13 establishes that as long as kleshas (kleśāḥ)—the deep-rooted mental afflictions of avidyā (ignorance), asmitā (ego), rāga (attachment), dveṣa (aversion), and abhiniveśa (fear of death)—exist, they continue to produce karma, which ripens into future experiences. These experiences take form in jāti (birth), āyuḥ (lifespan), and bhogāḥ (material enjoyment and sense gratification). This sutra emphasizes that as long as kleshas remain, one is bound to the cycle of samsāra (repeated birth and death).
The concept of bhogāḥ is crucial in understanding this sutra. Bhogāḥ refers to material enjoyment and sense pleasures, which are often mistaken for fulfillment. However, because these pleasures are conditioned by karma, they are fleeting and ultimately lead back to suffering. While bhogāḥ may seem desirable, it keeps the mind restless, entangled in desires, and bound by attachment (rāga). The pursuit of pleasure fuels further karma, ensuring continued rebirth and keeping one from true liberation.
True yoga (yogaḥ) and bhogāḥ stand in direct contrast. Bhogāḥ is external, temporary, and dictated by past karma, while yoga leads inward to permanent freedom. Instead of reinforcing kleshas and accumulating more karma, yoga weakens kleshas through meditation (dhyāna) and ultimately eradicates them through chitta vṛtti nirodhaḥ (the cessation of mental fluctuations, as described in Yoga Sutra 1:2). While bhogāḥ keeps one searching for happiness in impermanent experiences, yoga cultivates vairāgya (detachment) and self-awareness, leading to mokṣa (liberation).
This sutra also connects with earlier verses on kleshas. Yoga Sutra 2:3-2:9 defines the five kleshas and explains how they create suffering. Yoga Sutra 2:10 states that subtle kleshas must be dissolved at their root, while Sutra 2:11 emphasizes that meditation can weaken kleshas but not completely uproot them. Only complete stillness of mind (nirodhaḥ) can remove the seeds of karma, putting an end to birth, lifespan, and conditioned pleasure.
To apply Yoga Sutra 2:13 in practice, one must recognize that both suffering and fleeting pleasure are consequences of past karma. A life driven by bhogāḥ is one of constant craving and dissatisfaction, while a life of yoga leads to freedom from all conditioned experiences. The practitioner must cultivate self-awareness, detachment, and deep meditation to transcend both suffering and temporary joys. The ultimate goal is not just to reduce suffering but to transcend samsāra entirely and realize true, unshakable peace.
