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Chapter 2 · Contents of the Gītā Summarized · 72 verses

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Mind & yogaChapter 2 · Contents of the Gītā Summarized

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 2.63

How desire and the senses disturb the mind

क्रोधाद्भ‍वति सम्मोहः सम्मोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः ।

स्मृतिभ्रंशाद्बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति ॥ ६३ ॥

krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ

sammohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ

smṛti-bhraṁśād buddhi-nāśo

buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati

Translation

From anger, complete delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost one falls down again into the material pool.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Devotional Service Prevents Downfall

  1. 1Anger leads to delusion, confused memory, and lost intelligence. Then one falls back into material existence.
  2. 2Kṛṣṇa consciousness teaches us to use everything in the Lord’s service, rather than artificially rejecting material things.
  3. 3A devotee offers food to Kṛṣṇa with devotion and accepts the remnants as prasādam. Such devotional service protects one from falling down.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 2, Contents of the Gītā Summarized: how desire and the senses disturb the mind.

What it teaches

Theme summary

A disciplined mind is one's best friend.

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Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: manas, indriya, yoga.

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 2.63 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to mind & yoga?

Practice

Sit quietly for ten minutes and gently return the mind.

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The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 2 ›
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Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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