Verse-62-63
Chapter 2 — Sānkhya Yog
Verse 62-63
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
dhyāyato viṣayānpuṁsaḥ saṅgasteṣūpajāyate
saṅgātsañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmātkrodho'bhijāyate
|| Arjuna vaacha ||
krodhādbhavati sammohaḥ sammohātsmṛtivibhramaḥ
smṛtibhraṁśād buddhinaśo buddhinaśātpraṇaśyati
🕉 English Translation
📜 Translation
English
The man who dwells in his mind on the object of the senses, due to attachment to them desire arises and due to non-fulfilment of desire anger comes forth.
Due to anger arises delusion, delusive state leading to the perplexity of memory which causes the destruction of intelligence, meaning his power of knowledge, which ultimately leads to the downfall of the person.
What a devaluation of the values of life, and what a caution filled with the reverse order of fall! What a piteous state of fall! In the same human birth the highest state can be achieved in a simple manner. It is possible to attain supreme peace, final destination and ultimate abode; it is possible to achieve by getting this human birth–the piteous state of the same life! How shocking, ridiculous and sad state of affairs! The ladder is the same. One can climb on the roof by mounting it and can also fall to the ground from it. In reality, the ladder helps us neither to ascend nor to descend. When our intention is to ascend then the ladder becomes a means for making us climb up. But when the inclination is to descend and one is not careful in climbing then by slipping of the foot one can fall down.
'Dhyayato vishayanpunsa sangasteshupajayate' The person constantly thinking about the sensual objects will develop affinity for them. The mind will engage in thoughts. The mind is a pool of resolutions and counter-resolutions. If it becomes inclined towards the Lord and is devoted to Him then it automatically follows that the centre of all thoughts will be the Supreme Himself.
'Sangaatsanjayate kamah' desiring objects due to attachment. If one is extremely enamoured, it is difficult to remain without it. This object I should have and possess it! This thought will originate in the mind and this is what is called desire. When along with desire there is a longing for more and more then desire takes the form of greed. But when there is obstruction in the fulfilment of a desire there springs forth anger and side by side 'kamaat krodhoabhijayate'; total subjection of anger to desire.
'Krodhabhavati Sammohah' in the grip of anger one becomes deluded. With the coming of anger intellect is directly attacked that very moment itself. It makes one do what is not proper to do. Words not worth speaking are uttered under the influence of anger. Under the grip of anger there does not remain even the least bit of discrimination. 'Sammohahatsmritivibhramah' On being enveloped by delusion intellect gets bewildered. The memory related to the aim of life, goal, duty does not persist. 'Smritibhrinshaad buddhinashoh' On the loss of memory intellect also gets destroyed. Intellect in other words, is termed as discrimination. Right-wrong, sentient–insentient, what is duty and what is not–to distinguish between them is what discrimination is about. When one fails to discriminate, intellect ceases to exist. 'Buddhinashaat pranshaiyatih' The destruction of intellect leads to the downfall of the person.