The first yama, ahiṃsā, is defined positively: it is action that does not cause suffering (akleśajana). The subtle point is that even Vedic prescription (vidhyukta) of hiṃsā — as in animal sacrifice — causes suffering to beings (kleśajanmaiva jantuṣu). This verse subtly challenges Vedic ritual violence, positioning ahiṃsā as a higher principle than ritual compliance. The yoga tradition here leans toward an ethics that transcends even scriptural sanction.