Chapter 2, Verse 63
क्रोधाद्भवति सम्मोह: सम्मोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रम: |
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति ॥63॥
krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ sammohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ |
smṛti-bhraṁśād buddhi-nāśo buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati ||
"From anger follows delusion; from delusion, failure of memory; from failure of memory, the loss of understanding; from the loss of understanding, he perishes."
Key Insight:
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us through 2.63 that true peace is found when we align our actions with Dharma.
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us through 2.63 that true peace is found when we align our actions with Dharma.
Detailed Meaning
This verse describes the 'ladder of fall' or the psychological chain reaction leading to a person's spiritual and moral ruin. It begins with anger (krodha), which arises from frustrated desire. Anger clouds the mind, leading to delusion (sammoha). This delusion causes a 'failure of memory' (smriti-vibhrama), where one forgets the lessons of the past, their values, and the consequences of their actions. Once memory is lost, the discriminative faculty or intellect (buddhi) is destroyed. Since the intellect is the internal guide that distinguishes right from wrong, its destruction leads to the total ruin (pranaśyati) of the individual's character and peace.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core message of Gita 2.63?
From anger follows delusion; from delusion, failure of memory; from failure of memory, the loss of understanding; from the loss of understanding, he perishes.