dhyāyato viṣayān puḿsaḥ
sańgas teṣūpajāyate
sańgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ
kāmāt krodho ‘bhijāyate
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 2.62
While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
One who is not Krishna conscious is subjected to material desires while contemplating the objects of the senses. The senses require real engagements, and if they are not engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, they will certainly seek engagement in the service of materialism. In the material world everyone, including Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma—to say nothing of other demigods in the heavenly planets—is subjected to the influence of sense objects, and the only method to get out of this puzzle of material existence is to become Krishna conscious. Lord Shiva was deep in meditation, but when Parvati agitated him for sense pleasure, he agreed to the proposal, and as a result Kartikeya was born. When Haridasa Thakura was a young devotee of the Lord, he was similarly allured by the incarnation of Maya-devi, but Haridasa easily passed the test because of his unalloyed devotion to Lord Krishna. As illustrated in the above-mentioned verse of Sri Yamunacarya, a sincere devotee of the Lord shuns all material sense enjoyment due to his higher taste for spiritual enjoyment in the association of the Lord. That is the secret of success. One who is not, therefore, in Krishna consciousness, however powerful he may be in controlling the senses by artificial repression, is sure ultimately to fail, for the slightest thought of sense pleasure will agitate him to gratify his desires.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
The sthita prajna controls also the mind. That indeed is the cause of control of the senses. If one does not have control of the mind at all, please hear the result.
A person who thinks of the sense objects develops attachment (sanga) to them. And by that attachment, he develops strong desire (kama) for those objects. From desire, anger develops due to obstruction to fulfilling the desire from someone or something.
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
2.62 Indeed, in respect of a person, whose attachment to sense-objects is expelled but whose mind is not focussed on Me, even though he controls the senses, contemplation on sense-objects is unavoidable on account of the impressions of sins from time immemorial. Again attachment increases fully in ‘a man who thinks about sense-objects’. From attachment arises desire.’ What is called ‘desire’ is the further stage of attachment. After reaching that stage, it is not possible for a man to stay without experiencing the sense-objects. ‘From such desire arises anger.’ When a desire exists without its object being nearby, anger arises against persons nearby under the following. ‘Our desire is thwarted by these persons.’ ‘From anger there comes delusion’. Delusion is want of discrimination between what ought to be done and what ought not to be done. Not possessing that discrimination one does anything and everything. Then there follows the failure of memory, i.e., of the impressions of the earlier efforts of sense control, when one strives again to control the senses.
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
Having pointed out the defect of not having the external physical senses under control, the defect in not having the mind under control is now being given in these two verses. For one who is given to dreaming about sensual pursuits considering them worthy of indulgence a strong attachment develops for them. From this strong attachment arises addicting desires for them, from these addicting desires flares up anger when these addicting desires are not satisfied.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Sri Madhvacharya did not comment on this sloka.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
Lord Krishna states that one who contemplates sensual objects like form and touch develops in the mind attachment for them in the form of lust deluded into believing such objects to be the root cause of apparent happiness. From this attachment springs desire which is but a modification of attachment. Sometimes one is able to gratify ones senses by enjoying these sense objects. At that time a particular state of mind arises where one becomes enslaved and controlled by the desire of the very same object one is seeking so desperately to exploit. Other times ones desires are thwarted and obstructed and unfulfilled in satisfying ones desire to experience sense objects leads to frustration which is also a modification of the mind. At this time anger is directed in fury towards whatever it was that became the obstacle that blocked ones gratification.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
2.62 Pumsah, in the case of a person; dhyayatah, who dwells on, thinks of; visayan, the objects, the specialities [Specialities: The charms imagined in them.] of the objects such as sound etc.; upajayate, there arises; sangah, attachment, fondness, love; tesu, for them, for those objects. Sangat, from attachment, from love; sanjayate, grows; kamah, hankering, thirst. When that is obstructed from any quarter, kamat, from hankering; abhijayate, springs; krodhah, anger. Krodhat, from anger; bhavati, follows; sammohah, delusion, absence of discrimination with regard to what should or should not be done. For, an angry man, becoming deluded, abuses even a teacher. Sammohat, from delusion; (comes) smrti-vibhramah, failure of memory originating from the impressions acquired from the instructions of the scriptures and teachers. When there is an occasion for memory to rise, it does not occur. Smrti-bhramsat, from that failure of memory; (results) buddhi-nasah, loss of understanding. The unfitness of the mind to discriminate between what should or should not be done is called loss of understanding. Buddhi-nasat, from the loss of understanding; pranasyati, he perishes. Indeed, a man continues tobe himself so long as his mind remains fit to distinguish between what he ought to and ought not do. When it becomes unfit, a man is verily ruined. Therefore, when his internal organ, his understanding, is destroyed, a man is ruined, i.e. he becomes unfit for the human Goal. Thinking of objects has been said to be the root of all evils. After that, this which is the cause of Liberation is being now stated: [If even the memory of objects be a source of evil, then their enjoyment is more so. Hence, a sannyasin seeking Liberation cannot avoid this evil, since he has to move about for food which is necessary for the maintenance of his body. The present verse is an answer to this apprehension.]
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
2.62 See Comment under 2.63
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
dhyayato visayan pumsah
sangas tesupajayate
sangat sanjayate kamah
kamat krodho ‘bhijayate
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
dhyāyataḥ — while contemplating; viṣayān — sense objects; puḿsaḥ — of a person; sańgaḥ — attachment; teṣu — in the sense objects; upajāyate — develops; sańgāt — from attachment; sañjāyate — develops; kāmaḥ — desire; kāmāt — from desire; krodhaḥ — anger; abhijāyate — becomes manifest.
