Summary:

Chapter 2, Verses 62-63:  When one dwells upon sense objects, attachment develops, leading to desire, which breeds anger  when unfulfilled. This anger causes delusion (negative narrative), resulting in loss of memory of proper ethics and thinking. Without access to memory, the intellect becomes incapacitated, ultimately destroying the person by making unwise decisions. This eight-step sequence shows how sense pleasures gradually rob us of discernment, as illustrated in examples like the deluded software engineer, entitled spouse, and individual unable to adapt to new circumstances.

Chapter 2, Verse 64: The solution isn't avoiding sense objects but developing a prasada-buddhi – seeing everything as a blessing from Ishvara. One who moves through the world with sense organs under control. Rather than seeing the world as a test or temptation, recognize it as pervaded by Ishvara, offering opportunities for growth. 

Chapter 2, Verse 65:  Three indicators reveal progress in assimilating Bhagavad Gita wisdom: (1) reduction in suffering – bouncing back quicker from external troubles, calamities, and internal conflicts, illustrated by the wise crow with three nests and the tortoise with the broken shell; (2) tranquility of mind – becoming more cheerful, optimistic, and appreciative; and (3) steady intelligence – maintaining proper thinking under stress, exemplified by Arjuna seeing “only the fish's eye” during Draupadi's contest.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 62-63:
How Sense Objects Hijack Your Intelligence

ध्यायतः विषयान् पुंसः सङ्गः तेषु उपजायते ।
सङ्गात् सञ्जायते कामः कामात् क्रोधः अभिजायते ॥ २-६२॥
dhyāyataḥ viṣayān puṃsaḥ saṅgaḥ teṣu upajāyate ।
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmāt krodhaḥ abhijāyate ॥ 2-62॥

क्रोधात् भवति सम्मोहः सम्मोहात् स्मृति-विभ्रमः ।
स्मृति-भ्रंशात् बुद्धि-नाशः बुद्धि-नाशात् प्रणश्यति ॥ २-६३॥
krodhāt bhavati sammohaḥ sammohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ ।
smṛti-bhraṃśāt buddhi-nāśaḥ buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati ॥ 2-63॥

In the person who dwells upon objects, an attachment is born with reference to them. From attachment is born desire and from desire, anger is born. From anger comes delusion and from delusion comes the loss of memory. Because of the loss of memory, the mind becomes incapacitated and when the mind is incapacitated, the person is destroyed.

Sequence illustrating how we gradually lose ourselves by sense pleasures – and how they rob our discernment:

1. Dhyāyato visayān puṃsaḥ (For one who dwells upon objects):
   • Sense organs are given to interact with sense objects.
   • EG: Tongue is there – taste is there. Eyes are there – forms are there, etc. This of itself isn’t an issue.
2. Problem is, saṅgaḥ teṣu upajāyate (attachment to objects is born):
   • When sense organs comes in contact with a sense object, attachment is born.
   • EG: In mall, not everything attracts you. But for some reason, 3-4 objects catch your attention.
3. Soon enough, saṅgāt kāmaḥ sañjāyate (from attachment, desire is born):
   • You begin imagining what you’ll look like wearing it. Thinking about it long enough, a desire arises, “I really want to own this, I want to make it mine”.
4. However, kāmāt krodhaḥ abhijāyate (from desire, anger is born):
   • Not every desire leads to anger. But suppose you can’t afford the item, or someone denies you owning it – anger/deprivation is born.
5. Additionally, krodhāt bhavati sammohaḥ (from anger, delusion is born):
   • Suppose you're now at home, without the dress, thinking about it, wishing you could afford it. Eventually, you start blaming the “unfair boss” or the “crippling economy” or the low wages. Meaning anger has now transferred to boss, God's unfairness, world, your worth, etc. You keep building up the narrative – totally moved away from the trousers/dress.
6. sammohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ (from delusion to loss of memory):
   • While mind is ruminating on boss, it not only forgot about the original matter (trousers), but everything you’ve learned about basic ethics and proper thinking is forgotten.
   • Kinds of factors forgotten could include: Proper perspective, objectivity, taking a deep breath, waiting 5 minutes before pursuing a desire, “All that is here is Ishvara”, object is value-less except the meaning I give it, nobody has full facts at anytime, etc. In short proper behaviours/virtues temporarily become unavailable.
7. smṛti-bhraṃśāt buddhi-nāśaḥ (due to loss of memory, buddhi is ruined):
   • Thus your buddhi isn’t available to think straight anymore because it's unable to consult memory on ways to think properly. EG: The intellect no longer thinks rationally, “I can save up / look for alternative, etc”.
8. buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati (from ruined buddhi, your humanity is destroyed):
   • Once buddhi isn’t available to think rationally and to see the big picture because it’s coloured by stories – you ruin your life by making unwise choices.
   • Examples of Deluded Intellect:
     1. I’m so good, everyone else is bad:
        • A software engineer believes he's the best coder in his team. When his code is reviewed and teammates suggest improvements, he gets angry (“How dare they criticize my perfect code?”). This anger leads to delusion where he starts thinking “These people are jealous”.
        • ORDER: Attached to self-image > Desire: wants constant validation > Anger: when doesn’t get validation > Delusion: false narrative > Loss of memory/objectivity.
     2. Demanding/Entitlement:
        • Girl lived a rich life in her childhood. Soon her parents business collapsed. Some years later, she got married, and started putting pressure on her husband to become extremely successful, so can live out the rich life she enjoyed as a child. Anything husband did, wasn’t good enough. She was called delusional by her husband. She lost touch with basic ethics and gratitude for husband supporting her. 
        • ORDER: Attached to wealthy lifestyle > desire for her husband to replicate that > anger when he can't > delusion [He's not good enough, etc] > loss of memory [she forgets basic gratitude and appreciation].
     3. Inability to adjust to new situations:
        • For example, you were a successful merchant or artist. Now, you’re an employee and still carrying a complex that people need to respect and listen to you.

Conclusion:

Use your senses in way that help your big purpose. Don’t allow senses to destroy your life.

How to master the senses? When catch yourself deviating, recognize it doesn’t serve you the in long run. “Let me see the situation differently. Like an eagle, see from larger perspective to see what needs to be done”.

NEXT VERSE: Whereas one whose sense organs are managed, enjoys relative peace, avoiding the drama created in V62-63…

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 64:
Having a prasada-buddhi avoids the drama…

राग-द्वेष-विमुक्तैः तु विषयान् इन्द्रियैः चरन् । ओर् वियुक्तैः तु
आत्म-वश्यैः विधेय-आत्मा प्रसादम् अधिगच्छति ॥ २-६४॥
rāga-dveṣa-vimuktaiḥ tu viṣayān indriyaiḥ caran । or viyuktaiḥ tu
ātma-vaśyaiḥ vidheya-ātmā prasādam adhigacchati ॥ 2-64॥

Whereas, one whose mind is controlled, moving in the world of objects with the sense organs that are under his or her control, free from likes and dislikes, attains tranquility.

The wrong way:

Superficial way of looking at it is to avoid disaster by simply avoiding sense-objects (as commonly suggested or implied in modern spiritual teachings), or going to a better world (heaven).

Instead, Krishna is saying you’re given opportunity to use sense-objects to bless your life and other’s well-being. Ishvara’s isn’t “testing you” or tempting you. It makes God a sadist.

EG: Mirabai (devotee of Krishna): “Initially I thought I was caught in ocean of samsara; it’s scary and uncertain. It don’t see the scary samsara, I only see the Lord”. World is pervaded by Ishvara – in which you’re given possibilities to collapse. Biggest possibility is you and Ishvara are One – for which you need sense-objects.

Solution is to have a Prasada-buddhi:

Whatever priest gives you, it’s no longer called “bread” or “leaf”, but prasada (a blessing from the hands of the Lord). When you rename a situation or object to prasada, you stop comparing it to what others have gotten. Even your talents/skills and earthly-existence is a prasada (blessing given by Ishvara). Your job is to acknowledge your life as a prasada and do your part in return, contributing. 

NEXT VERSE: As result of seeing your life as prasada, you begin to show 3 indicators of maturity…

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 65:
Three indicators of maturity when sense-organs are mastered…

प्रसादे सर्व-दुःखानाम् हानिः अस्य उपजायते ।
प्रसन्न-चेतसः हि आशु बुद्धिः पर्यवतिष्ठते ॥ २-६५॥
prasāde sarva-duḥkhānām hāniḥ asya upajāyate ।
prasanna-cetasaḥ hi āśu buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate ॥ 2-65॥

For the person whose mind is tranquil, destruction of all pain and sorrow happens. The knowledge of one whose mind is tranquil soon becomes well established.

What are the indicators that we’re assimilating the BG knowledge, that you’re progressing?

1) sarva-duḥkhānām hāniḥ (Reduction in stress/anxiety):

Psychological sadness/grief reduces.

Bounces back quicker from:

1. 1. 1. Ādhibhautika-duḥkha: External people/situations.
      2. Ādhidaivika-duḥkha: from uncontrollable calamities.
      3. Ādhyātmika-duḥkha: from own body/mind/senses.

How to bounce back quicker?

Panchatantra story illustrates:

The Wise Crow’s Three Nests: Crow named Suvichāra was renowned for her wisdom. Unlike other birds, she built three nests in different trees. When younger birds questioned this strange habit, she explained, “Life brings unexpected changes. I prepare accordingly.” One spring, floods destroyed many nests including Suvichāra's first home. While other birds grieved their lost eggs, she moved to her second nest and continued raising her family. Then a fierce wind damaged that tree, she calmly relocated to her third nest. A sparrow asked, “How do you remain so peaceful despite these disasters?”. Suvichāra replied, “I acknowledge what life may bring. Rather than being surprised by misfortune, I prepare my mind and resources beforehand. When trouble arrives, I don't waste energy on complaint—I implement my alternative plan.” Similar to Japanese concept Kaizen – constant improvement and adjustment to prevent problems before they occur.

The Tortoise and the Broken Shell: Once, a wise tortoise named Dhīrasoma lived by a peaceful lake. During a terrible storm, a falling tree cracked his shell, his greatest protection. While other animals offered sympathy, rather than lamenting, he spent days finding healing herbs to apply to his wound. He remained focused on the solution. When a jackal asked why he wasn't distressed, Dhīrasoma replied, “What use is suffering over what cannot be changed? I focus instead on what I can control – my healing and my mind. Troubles come to all creatures. The wise differentiate between what they can and cannot change, directing their energy accordingly.”

2) prasanna-cetasaḥ (Tranquil minded):

More cheerful, tranquil, optimistic, brighter, dynamic. One stops seeing life in a dark tone, always finding fault, never seeing beautiful aspects of life. 

3) buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate (Steady intelligence):

Thinking processes are aligned and don’t easily derail from proper thinking under stress.

MB Story Illustrating focus under pressure: At Draupadi's contest, Arjuna saw “only the fish's eye” amid chaos. His undistracted mind allowed perfect aim when others failed, demonstrating mental steadiness under pressure. “What do you see?”, King Drupada asked. Arjuna replied, “I see only the eye of the fish, nothing else. Not the water, not the wheel, not the watching kings, not even the fish itself, just its eye”. While others had allowed their minds to scatter among distractions, fears, and desires, Arjuna's mind remained singularly focused. Arjuna achieved this through years of single-pointed meditation practice.

NEXT VERSE: Suppose you don’t develop a steady buddhi, result is a disturbed mind, unable to find happiness/appreciation in simple things of life…

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Course was based on Swami Dayananda (Arsha Vidya) home study course.

Recorded 13 April, 2025