Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 18: Freedom through Renunciation
Bhagavad Gita 18.32
अधर्मं धर्ममिति या मन्यते तमसावृता ।
सर्वार्थान्विपरीतांश्च बुद्धिः सा पार्थ तामसी ॥
adharmaṃ dharmamiti yā manyate tamasāvṛtā | sarvārthānviparītāṃśca buddhiḥ sā pārtha tāmasī ||
The understanding that, wrapped in darkness, takes wrong for right and sees everything upside down: that understanding, Arjuna, is of inertia.
Modern context
Tamasic understanding, wrapped in darkness, takes wrong for right and sees everything upside down. This is the worst state of judgment: not just confused but inverted. Cruelty looks like strength; deceit looks like cleverness; kindness looks like weakness. Once judgment is turned upside down like this, it is very hard to correct from within.