Sacred verse

Bhagavad Gita 2.63BG 2.63 · Chapter 2, Verse 63

Sankhya Yoga · Verse 63

A core teaching · reflective in mood · a little context helps

Anger first distorts seeing, then destroys the mind that should guide action.

The verse
क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति

From anger comes delusion; from delusion, confusion of memory; from confusion of memory, loss of discernment; from loss of discernment, ruin.

Krishna
Bhagavad Gita · 2.63
Hindi · हिन्दी
विषयोंका चिन्तन करनेवाले मनुष्यकी उन विषयोंमें आसक्ति पैदा हो जाती है । आसक्तिसे कामना पैदा होती है । कामनासे क्रोध पैदा होता है । क्रोध होनेपर सम्मोह मूढ़भाव हो जाता है । सम्मोहसे स्मृति भ्रष्ट हो जाती है । स्मृति भ्रष्ट होनेपर बुद्धिका नाश हो जाता है । बुद्धिका नाश होनेपर मनुष्यका पतन हो जाता है ॥
Word by word

The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.

क्रोधात्from angerभवतिarisesसंमोहःdelusionसंमोहात्from delusionस्मृतिविभ्रमःconfusion of memoryस्मृतिभ्रंशात्from loss of memoryबुद्धिनाशःdestruction of discernmentबुद्धिनाशात्from destruction of discernmentप्रणश्यतिone is ruined

Read literallyfrom anger · arises · delusion · from delusion · confusion of memory · from loss of memory · destruction of discernment · from destruction of discernment · one is ruined

Understanding the verse

It teaches you to interrupt anger early, before it hijacks memory and judgment.

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In plain words

What this verse means

Anger starts a chain reaction: confusion, broken memory, lost judgment, and finally self-destruction.

On the battlefield

Context & commentary

On Kurukshetra, Arjuna’s crisis is not only about battle but about what happens inside a mind under pressure. Krishna traces the inner collapse: anger leads to confusion, confusion erases memory, memory loss destroys discernment, and then a person falls.

In your life

Why this verse still matters

You read one hostile message and your chest tightens. Within minutes, you forget what mattered, misread everything, and say the thing you’ll regret later.

The takeaway

You can feel the warning inside anger before it turns into damage.

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Krishna teaching the Sankhya — the eternal nature of the self
Chapter 2 · The Yoga of Knowledge
Sankhya Yoga
72 verses
Read all verses in this chapter →

Explore related themes: buddhi (26 verses), delusion (19 verses), krodha (11 verses)

Common questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 2.63 mean?

Anger starts a chain reaction: confusion, broken memory, lost judgment, and finally self-destruction.

Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 2.63?

Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Sankhya Yoga" (The Yoga of Knowledge).

Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 2.63?

Verse 63 sits in Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita — Sankhya Yoga, "The Yoga of Knowledge". The chapter has 72 verses in total.

Why does Bhagavad Gita 2.63 matter today?

You read one hostile message and your chest tightens. Within minutes, you forget what mattered, misread everything, and say the thing you’ll regret later.

Go deeper
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