Chapter 2, Verse 63 (Bhagavad Gita 2.63)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः। स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति
Transliteration
krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ sammohāt smṛiti-vibhramaḥ smṛiti-bhranśhād buddhi-nāśho buddhi-nāśhāt praṇaśhyati
Word Meanings
krodhāt—from anger; bhavati—comes; sammohaḥ—clouding of judgement; sammohāt—from clouding of judgement; smṛiti—memory; vibhramaḥ—bewilderment; smṛiti-bhranśhāt—from bewilderment of memory; buddhi-nāśhaḥ—destruction of intellect; buddhi-nāśhāt—from destruction of intellect; praṇaśhyati—one is ruined
Translation
From anger comes delusion; from delusion comes the loss of memory; from the loss of memory comes the destruction of discrimination; from the destruction of discrimination, one perishes.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse maps the cognitive chain reaction of psychological collapse, starting from a single emotional trigger. When anger clouds the mind, it erases the 'memory' of our higher values and past lessons, disconnecting us from our moral compass. As discrimination—the ability to distinguish between right and wrong—fades, we lose our footing in reality, making self-destructive choices inevitable. This teaches that true mastery lies in arresting the initial impulse of anger before it creates a domino effect. By cultivating inner stillness, we preserve our capacity for judgment and protect our spiritual integrity.