CHAPTER 2, VERSE 62, 63 - The Ladder of Fall

ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंस: सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते |

सङ्गात्सञ्जायते काम: कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते ॥62॥

क्रोधाद्भवति सम्मोह: सम्मोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रम: |

स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति ॥63॥

Transliteration:

dhyāyato viṣhayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣhūpajāyate
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate
krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ sammohāt smṛiti-vibhramaḥ
smṛiti-bhranśhād buddhi-nāśho buddhi-nāśhāt praṇaśhyati

Translation

In the case of a person who dwells on objects, there arises attachment for them. From attachment grows hankering, from hankering springs anger.
From anger follows delusion; from delusion, failure of memory; from failure of memory, the loss of understanding; from the loss of understanding, he perishes.

My Understanding:

ॐ नमो नारायण ! जय श्री कृष्णा 

श्रीमदभगवतगीता (ShriMad Bhagwat Geeta) is the Sun of knowledge. It's brightest light shows us the world within ourselves. With Acharya Shri Shivender Nagar Ji's teaching and guidance I am able to see. And following is a record of my understanding of the highest knowledge.

I believe Acharya Ji has mentioned a couple of times that these 2 Verses are one of his most favorite verses, and should be taught to school children.

Verse 62 & 63 are connected, hence discussed together, as one requires other in order to explain the complete idea.

Acharya Ji talks about the Ladder of Fall, or how a man falls to his own destruction. He explains it with the help of the following figure.

Acharya Ji quotes George Bernard Shaw, before explaining the verses, and I believe the quote is the crux of the verses.

There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it.

These verses are still in continuation of answering Arjun's query on स्थितप्रज्ञ (the most matured individual).

Bhagwan Shri Krishna explains,

• First, we Think about an object or being.
  
  
• Unintelligent dwelling on the object or being leads the thought to become Desire or Attachment
  
  
• Desire leads to the actual Action to fulfill the Desire.

• All Actions will result in 2 possible outcomes.

• Desires are Fulfilled
• After desires are fulfilled, we get Greedy for more,
  
• We  become Arrogant towards less privileged than us.
• We become Envious towards more privileged than us
• Fearful of losing what we have got or achieved.
  
  
• Desires are Unfulfilled
• Agitation
• Anger towards the cause due to which the desire was unfulfilled.

The irony is, above is just the beginning, worst is yet to come

• Anger and Fear Leads to Delusion about right and wrong
  
  
• Delusion leads to Loss of Memory, the memory of what was right.
  
  
• Loss of Memory leads to Loss of intellect.
  
  
• And Loss of intellect leads to total destruction.

Of course, the above idea requires examples to understand, Acharya Ji gave a couple of following:

You have the desire of a new job. Immediately after it is fulfilled, you want the next promotion, more money, corner office, and power. You become more greedy.

Assume that you are thinking of buying a new car, which is a good thought. You are dwelling on the thought, because of which you see the desired model of the car everywhere you go. You are fortunate enough to purchase the car that you desired.

It's quite common to develop arrogance towards who is less privileged than you, someone may have purchased a lower or less expensive car than yours. You will become arrogant towards him, although you won't show it.

On the other hand, if someone is more privileged than you, purchased a new luxury car. It's obvious to be envious and jealous of the more privileged.

And the stronger your desire towards something, the more you will be fearful of loosing it. We would not be fearful of losing a Ferrari, why ?? because we don't have it, fear will come when your desire of Ferrari will be fulfilled. More you have more you fear of losing. Cause of all fear is a strong attachment.

Assume you live in a joint family, you live with father, mother, brothers and their respective families. You want to buy a new home, but your parent aren't agreeing with it. You have anger but you bury it with in yourself. Eventually, your younger brother purchase a new home.

You are angry due to this event, angry that your desires are unfulfilled and you become very jealous of your younger brother's fortune.

Your anger grows uncontrollably in a family event you lost your temper and forgot it's your younger brother. Your outburst in front of the entire family causes the end of your relationship with your younger brother for a very long time.

Assume you have a very strong desire of a child. You got what you wanted, will be satisfied ??. Now, you will want more for the newborn, he should be handsome, good in studies, sports, health, behavior and A+ in everything else. It's like even if we get God it won't be enough for us.

And if your child didn't get into a great college and one of relative's child does, you will feel jealousy and envy.

काम आया राम गए (Desire came Shri Raam leaves)

Acharya Ji tells another amazing story of all to explain the idea further.

But before the story we must observe that श्रीरामचरितमानस (ShriRamCharitManas) was all लीला (spectacle) of श्री राम (Shri Raam).

सीता माता (Mother Sita) was very happy with Shri Raam in पंचवटी (Panchwati) Forrest. Once a golden fleeting deer came near their hut. Mother Sita saw and expressed her desire for the golden fleeting deer to Shri Raam. Shri Raam expressed his doubts about such deer at that place. but Mother Sita insisted on deer's capture.

As the title of the story, desire came Shri Raam leaves.

After some time, Mother Sita heard Shri Raam's voice. He was screaming "लक्ष्मण (Lakshman) help me". Mother Sita got very scared due to this. And due to her love and her fear of losing him, she asked Lakshman to go to his brother's aid.

Lakshman who was thinking straight, said that his Shri Raam has killed Khar, Dushan, and their armies alone. No one can harm to him. Shri Raam is invincible

But mother Sita was scared and because of his love for Shri Raam, her memory got deluded and she forgot how capable her husband is. Due to her deluded memory she lost her intellect and her mind. Resulting, she said very harsh and worst words to Lakshman. Then Lakshman had no choice but to go to Shri Raam's aid.

रावण (Raavan) came to grab mother Sita and he further preyed on her fear, due to which she crossed the protection of Lakshman Rekha and Raavan captured her.

In the end, Mother Sita represents a living being, Shri Raam is the spirit with in and the desire creates the gap or divide between us.

To summarize, this verse is like a checklist of trigger points, we can place a warning on every single trigger point. Any time a trigger point is hit we can control our desires to stop ourselves from falling any further. Like, purchasing a new car, we should be thankful and should have the attitude of gratitude, happy for the less fortunate and appreciative of the more.

It's like a ball bouncing down the stairs. For the first 3-4 stairs, anyone can catch the ball with a little effort and it will not fall further, but if the ball is not stopped then it will reach the last step for sure.

There is a disaster in waiting if you don't know how to control your desires.

ॐ