क्रोधाद्भवति सम्मोहः सम्मोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः ।
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद्बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति ॥ ६३ ॥
krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ sammohāt smṛiti-vibhramaḥ
smṛiti-bhranśhād buddhi-nāśho buddhi-nāśhāt praṇaśhyati
क्रोध से पूर्ण मोह उत्पन्न होता है और ऐसे मोह से स्मृति की हानि होती है। जब स्मृति बाधित होती है, तो बुद्धि नष्ट हो जाती है और बुद्धि की यह हानि व्यक्ति के विनाश का कारण बनती है।
From anger arises complete delusion and from such delusion comes loss of memory. When memory is disturbed, intelligence is destroyed and this loss of intelligence leads to the destruction of the individual.
Verse 2.63 of the Bhagavad Gita presents a profound psychological analysis of how the human mind deteriorates when it follows the path of sensory attachment. In this verse, Lord Krishna continues his discourse with Arjuna by explaining the dangerous cascade that begins when we focus on sense objects rather than spiritual consciousness.
The verse describes a sequential chain reaction: from anger arises delusion (sammoha), from delusion comes bewilderment of memory (smriti-vibhrama), from memory loss follows the destruction of intelligence (buddhi-nasha), and with intelligence destroyed, one perishes (pranashyati). This process doesn't happen instantaneously but develops gradually as one step leads inevitably to the next, much like dominoes falling in sequence.
Krishna is revealing a subtle psychological truth here about the nature of the mind. The process actually begins earlier than this verse indicates - with dwelling on sense objects, which leads to attachment, then to desire, and when desire is frustrated, anger erupts. It's at this point that verse 2.63 picks up the narrative, showing how anger clouds judgment and initiates a downward spiral. The mind becomes so consumed by what it wants that it can no longer think clearly or remember important truths.
What makes this verse particularly insightful is its recognition that anger isn't just an emotional state but a cognitive disruption. When angry, we experience "sammoha" or complete delusion - a state where reality becomes distorted. This delusion then impairs memory, not just of facts but of principles, values, and teachings that would otherwise guide us. We've all experienced moments where, in anger, we've said or done things we later regretted, precisely because our memory of what truly matters became temporarily inaccessible.
The deterioration continues as memory loss leads to the destruction of buddhi (intelligence or discriminative faculty). In the Gita's framework, buddhi is our capacity to distinguish between beneficial and harmful actions, between the permanent and temporary. When this faculty collapses, we lose our moral and spiritual compass. The final result, "pranashyati" (one perishes), doesn't necessarily mean physical death but rather spiritual destruction - falling back into the material pool of suffering and repeated birth.
This verse serves as a warning about how easily our consciousness can become hijacked by external objects. Modern life constantly bombards us with sensory stimulation and advertisements designed specifically to trigger this exact sequence - making us think about objects, developing attachment, creating desire, and ultimately frustration when desires remain unfulfilled. What begins as a simple thought can, through this progression, lead to significant suffering and spiritual regression.
What makes Krishna's teaching particularly relevant is that it doesn't just identify the problem but points to its solution. By contrasting this destructive sequence with the path of focused awareness on the divine, Krishna implies that spiritual consciousness offers protection against this downward spiral. When the mind is anchored in spiritual awareness rather than material objects, it remains stable and free from the turbulence that leads to anger, delusion, and ultimately, spiritual destruction. This verse thus serves not only as a warning but as an invitation to redirect our attention toward what truly matters.
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