Pandemic crisis made all of us to investigate the root cause of human suffering and miseries. Patanjali Yoga Sutra is about psychology and it deals on the Mind and explains the root cause and way to over come the problems faced by human. The root cause is identified as Klesa i.e. The actions based on ignorance (avidya). There are five klesas viz Avidya(ignorance), “Asmita (wrong identity), Raaga (Attachment to what we consider as sukam), Dvesha (repulsive to what we feel as dukha), abinivesha (fear to loose the one which one think belongs to him). Klesa vrttis will give pain. Avidya is the root cause for other four klesas and hence we can simply say Klesa means avidya which is the root cause ones misery. By understanding our ignorance, learning to reduce their stranglehold on life and destroying them, we can reduce pain and suffering, distractions, afflictions, hindrances. Avidya is the major cause for ones action which is against to his body or to the society. Action through klesa vrttis leading to karma will have its reflection either immediately or later. Our body contains trillions of cells and we consider the total sum of sales as “ one person”. In the same way all living beings needs to be considered as “one” and I am just part of the whole world. When this truth is established, “Love” will blossom. But the reality is we have divided us from other living being, we have created border between countries , compete with each other and wars are the proof of selfishness. Mass outcome of actions from humanbeing based on selfishness is the root cause of mass destruction to humanity. Therefore, cause of pandemic is due to covid 19 virus is only the last cause and not the root cause. Root cause is the mass karma of the entire humanity as a whole and its reflections. In this paper, the simplest solution identified are bringing awareness to oneself by imparting the Self Knowledge / “Who am I” and adherance to Yama (discipline towards society) and Niyama (discipline towards oneself) which are part of the Astanga Yoga (eight limbs of yoga).

Keywords: Patanjali, Yogasutra, pandemic, karma, cause and effect, sankhya, yama, niyam, klesha, astanga yoga, covid,