How the Mind Loses Clarity: From Desire to Disconnection from the Self
Chapter 2 v.62-65
Explore Bhagavad Gita teachings on the nature of desire, how it clouds judgment, and practical steps to overcome it.
Contents
The Dangerous Path of Desire and Anger
When the Mind is Troubled
From Clarity to Confusion - How We Lose the Way
When Discipline Prevails
Practical Steps for Overcoming Desire and Cultivating Freedom
A Devotional Life, Surrender, and Guidance for Daily Living
PODCAST EPISODE: The Dangers of Uncontrolled Thoughts and Desires
Sense attraction may seem harmless, but when entertained, it sets in motion a powerful chain reaction that clouds the mind, distorts judgment, and disrupts inner peace.
The teachings in these Bhagavad Gita verses 2.62 - 2.65 offer a step-by-step look at how desire takes hold—and how easily it can lead us away from our highest intentions. With careful attention and discernment, the path of peace and wisdom becomes clear.
The Dangerous Path of Desire and Anger
Bhagavad Gita verses 2.62 and 2.63 describe the process step by step, downward step by downward step, of what it's like to lose contact with the divine Self—how we lose the connection with the source of wisdom within us by not discerning the power of entertaining sense attraction. It's like playing with fire. The scripture is telling the yogi, don’t go there, because this is what happens. It’s the slippery slope you can go down.
Verse 2.62 says: “For a person dwelling on the objects of the senses, an attachment to them is born. From attachment, desire is born, and from desire, anger is born.”
Verse 2.63 continues the downward spiral: “From anger arises delusion. From delusion, the loss of memory. From loss of memory, destruction of discrimination. From destruction of discrimination, one is lost.”
Dwelling on the objects of the senses, you become attached. From attachment, desire is fomented. From that desire, we are subject to anger when we’re not getting what we want—or think something threatens it. Then from that anger comes confusion and delusion. The mind is troubled, disturbed by emotion. It clouds our judgment and clouds our ability to see clearly.
"We can't access our inner wisdom because our attention and awareness has become fixated on what we want."
—Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian
When the Mind is Troubled
The teachings do not say this happens through sense perception alone. Sense perception and thoughts are going on all the time. But it is when we dwell on the objects of the senses, when we start fantasizing about them, that we develop a relationship in the mind and start owning it. “My thought. My idea. I want.” That’s where the ego steps in.
Swami Sri Yukteswar said all thoughts will come and go. Let them go. You don’t have to entertain them. When you start serving them tea and cookies, you can’t get rid of them—they’re like unwanted guests.
That ego function steps in with “I like that, I want that, this is mine,” and creates attachment. Then we want to have it. When that desire is thwarted, anger arises. Frustration clouds our thinking, and we lose access to our inner wisdom.
From Clarity to Confusion - How We Lose the Way
The verses say anger leads to delusion. That indicates the mind is now clouded, and we lose touch with our ability to discern the consequences of our actions. We lose the clarity of vision.
We all know what it’s like to look back and say, “I wish I had been more aware.” But it’s not just the passage of time that helps us see—it’s the lifting of the cloud of desire or anger that clears the mind and allows vision to return.
Delusion leads to the loss of memory. This doesn’t mean amnesia—it means loss of memory of dharma. We forget we’re yogis. We forget our spiritual commitment. We forget the guru, the teachings, the Self. That connection can only arise through a purified mind.
Sankara said: “When a wrathful person gets infatuated, they are led to insult even the guru.” That is how destructive the loss of memory can be. He continues that from infatuation comes the failure of memory, and from that, the loss of conscience. Then one is utterly ruined.
Roy Eugene Davis put it simply: “The powers of discernment are weakened. Common sense is abandoned. One behaves erratically and inappropriately.” From the destruction of discrimination, one is lost.
When Discipline Prevails
After clearly illustrating the dangers of uncontrolled desire, the Bhagavad Gita verses 2.64 and 2.65 swiftly guides us back onto a brighter path, showing how disciplined practice restores and maintains our spiritual clarity.
Roy Eugene Davis translated these verses this way:
Verse 2.64: “But the devotee whose mind is disciplined, who moves in the world with the senses under control and is free from attachments and aversions is established in tranquility.”
Verse 2.65: “And that purity of Spirit removes one from all sorrow. The knowledge of the devotee is soon firm and permanent peace.”
This is what it looks like when we are anchored in the Self. Self-discipline, the elimination of attachment and aversion—even while moving among sense objects—brings peace and stability of wisdom. The mind becomes serene. The intellect becomes steady. We are seated in the Lord, guided by discernment rather than desire.
Practical Steps for Overcoming Desire and Cultivating Freedom
From these teachings, we can derive practical spiritual practices to overcome restless desires and strengthen inner clarity:
1. Discernment
Cultivate awareness of your desires and their potential consequences. Ask yourself honestly, "Will this lead me to lasting peace or temporary pleasure followed by suffering?" Discernment helps illuminate the deeper truths behind our impulses.
2. Commitment
Make a firm inner resolve to live in alignment with your higher purpose. Utilize wisdom-guided willpower, affirming that you choose spiritual freedom over temporary satisfaction. Commitment helps to stabilize our intentions even in challenging moments.
3. Devotion
Foster heartfelt devotion to the Divine, which naturally reduces restless desires. When our hearts are filled with genuine devotion, lower desires lose their grip because the heart already feels deeply fulfilled. As the great yogis have taught, devotion is a shortcut to lasting spiritual contentment.
4. Surrender
Practice continuous surrender to higher wisdom. Regularly let go of the ego’s urge to control outcomes and place trust in the unfolding divine plan. Surrender releases us from worry, frustration, and anxiety, cultivating inner peace instead.
A Devotional Life, Surrender, and Guidance for Daily Living
The Bhagavad Gita suggests the profound psychological and spiritual mechanism behind surrender. Madhusudana Saraswati, a classical commentator, likened the protective power of surrendered devotion to the protection provided by a powerful king. When we surrender to the Divine, our mind and senses gradually become harmonious servants, no longer rebellious robbers causing unrest within us. They become allies on our spiritual journey, peacefully subdued by the higher power we've embraced.
We can live this way. The 19th-century saint Nirmayanandha offers a devotional map for daily life—what it looks like to live illumined:
- “Let the words you utter be pleasant and free from self-seeking. This is called the prayer of the Lord.”
- “Whatever your karma brings, accept it without attachment or aversion. This is called the offering to the God of bliss.”
- “Establish yourself in the witness consciousness. Disregard all daydreams. This is called the highest meditation on the aghast Lord.”
- "Harbor love for all beings and lay aside all sense of differences. This is called devotion to God."
These lines provide a gentle yet powerful reminder of how devotion can be woven into every moment of our lives, transforming our thoughts, words, and actions into a continuous offering to the Divine.
Listen to the full podcast episode below.
Bhagavad Gita, pt 17: The Dangers of Uncontrolled Thoughts and Desires
Chapter 2 v. 62-65
We are given a step-by-step description of how one loses contact with the divine Self by indulging in sense attraction. Dwelling on objects of the senses leads to attachment, which leads to desire, anger, delusion, loss of memory, and ultimately the destruction of discrimination. This downward spiral causes one to lose touch with their conscience and their connection to spiritual teachings. Tune in to gain insight into how to maintain a connection with the Divine and find inner peace in a world of sensory distractions.
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