Verse 2.63

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.63:

क्रोधाद् भवति सम्मोहः सम्मोहात् स्मृति-विभ्रमः ।
स्मृति-भ्रंशाद् बुद्धि-नाशो बुद्धि-नाशात् प्रणश्यति ॥ ६३ ॥

krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ sammohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ |
smṛti-bhraṃśād buddhi-nāśo buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati || 63 ||

krodhāt–from anger; bhavati–comes; sammohaḥ–utter confusion, lacking the discrimination to know what to do and what not to do; sammohāt–from such confusion; smṛti-vibhramaḥ–loss of memory; smṛti-bhraṃśāt–from loss of memory; buddhi-nāśaḥ–intelligence is destroyed; buddhi-nāśāt–from loss of intelligence; praṇaśyati–by this one is completely ruined and falls into the ocean of repeated birth and death.

Anger gives rise to utter delusion, and from such delusion comes loss of memory (forgetfulness of scriptural injunctions). Loss of memory destroys one’s intelligence, and when intelligence is destroyed, one’s entire spiritual direction in life is lost. One then falls into the ocean of material existence.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

From anger comes delusion, in which there is a loss of discrimination between what is to be done and what is not to be done. When the living entity is in a deluded condition, he forgets the instruc tions of the scriptures, which are the cause of auspiciousness for him. When his memory is lost, his intelligence loses the capacity to function properly. After that, the sādhaka again falls into the well of material life.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

The mind indeed is the king, the controller and the impelling cause of the senses. Therefore, by controlling the mind, the external senses are automatically controlled.

Thus, in the Vedas it is said:

yadā pancāvatiṣṭhante jñānāni manasā saha
buddhiś ca na viceṣṭati tām āhuḥ paramāṃ gatim

Kaṭha Upaniṣad (2.3.10)

If one can control his five knowledge-acquiring senses, his mind and his intelligence, he attains the supreme destination. Otherwise, if the mind and other senses are not subdued, one has to wander in the cycle of birth and death.

This is also stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.21.19–21):

viṣayeṣu guṇādhyāsāt puṃsaḥ saṅgas tato bhavet
saṅgāt tatra bhavet kāmaḥ kāmād eva kalir nṛṇām

When one contemplates the qualities of sense objects, attachment arises. From attachment, desires ensue, and unfulfilled desires lead to quarrel.

kaler durviṣahaḥ krodhas tamas tam anuvartate
tamasā grasyate puṃsaś cetanā vyāpinī drutam

From quarrel, unrestrained anger arises, anger causes delusion, and when one is in delusion, the wisdom to discriminate between right and wrong vanishes.

tayā virahitaḥ sādho jantuḥ śūnyāya kalpate
tato’sya svārtha-vibhraṃśo mūrcchitasya mṛtasya ca

O gentle one, a man who has lost his discrimination becomes like inert matter, and from that condition, he slides down to states of unconsciousness and becomes almost dead. Thus the supreme purpose of life is defeated.

If someone forcibly tries to subdue his external senses without controlling his mind‚ the results are extremely unpleasant. It is therefore one’s duty to control the mind by worshipping Bhagavān with very special endeavour. Consequently, Śrī Bhagavān’s statement in the Gītā (2.61), tāni sarvāṇi saṃyamya, is completely logical.