Klesha (Sanskrit: क्लेश,) is a Sanskrit word meaning "impurity", "corruption" or "poison". In Hinduism, a klesha is a mental state, such as fear or ignorance, that clouds the mind and leads to unhealthy actions. It is an obstacle to reaching a state of enlightenment and liberation (moksha) from saṃsāra.
The third of the second chapter of Patañjali's Yoga Sūtras explicitly identifies the five poisons :
Translated into English, these five kleshas are:
According to the Yoga Sutras, there are four stages for overcoming the effects of the kleshas: the active stage (udaram), the detached stage (vicchinna), the decaying stage (tanu) and the dormant stage (parsupta).[2]
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali describe suffering as an impediment to spiritual growth.[2] Yogic practices such as meditation and pranayama breathing exercises provide methods to overcome afflictions.[2] According to Shiva Purana 2.3.5 and Hathatatvakaumudi, klesha refers to suffering (i.e. suffering caused by penance).[3] [4]