इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत । सर्वभूतानि सम्मोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप ॥
icchādveṣasamutthena dvandvamohena bhārata | sarvabhūtāni sammohaṃ sarge yānti parantapa ||
Translation
All beings at birth fall into delusion, O Bharata, arising from the pairs of opposites born of desire and aversion, O scorcher of foes.
Interpretation
The answer to why beings are deluded: from the moment of birth (sarge — at creation/birth), all beings fall into dvandva-moha — the delusion created by the pairs of opposites (pleasure/pain, love/hate, success/failure). These opposites arise from iccha (desire) and dvesha (aversion). This is the primal condition: before any spiritual practice or teaching, every being enters the world already caught in this web of attraction and repulsion. Understanding this is the beginning of compassion for oneself and all others.