Gita verses on anger and desire

The Gita gives a short map of how a mind goes wrong: brooding, attachment, desire, anger, confusion, loss of memory, loss of judgement (2.62-63). It names desire, anger and greed as three gates to self-ruin (16.21). It also describes the person who neither disturbs the world nor is disturbed by it (12.15).

The verses

Bhagavad Gita 2.62

ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते
सङ्गात्संजायते कामः कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते

dhyāyato viṣayānpuṃsaḥ saṅgasteṣūpajāyate / saṅgātsaṃjāyate kāmaḥ kāmātkrodho'bhijāyate

Meaning: Brooding on the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment to them; from attachment comes desire; from desire comes anger.

This verse and the next trace how a mind goes wrong, step by step. Read the full explanation

Bhagavad Gita 2.63

क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद्बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति

krodhādbhavati saṃmohaḥ saṃmohātsmṛtivibhramaḥ / smṛtibhraṃśādbuddhināśo buddhināśātpraṇaśyati

Meaning: From anger comes delusion; from delusion, loss of memory; from loss of memory, the destruction of the understanding; and from the destruction of understanding the person is ruined.

The chain continues. Read the full explanation

Bhagavad Gita 12.15

यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः
हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः

yasmānnodvijate loko lokānnodvijate ca yaḥ / harṣāmarṣabhayodvegairmukto yaḥ sa ca me priyaḥ

Meaning: One by whom the world is not disturbed and who is not disturbed by the world, and who is free from joy, anger, fear and agitation, is dear to me.

The verse describes a two-way peace: a person who does not trouble others and is not easily troubled by them. Read the full explanation

Bhagavad Gita 16.21

त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः
कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत्

trividhaṃ narakasyedaṃ dvāraṃ nāśanamātmanaḥ / kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhastasmādetattrayaṃ tyajet

Meaning: Threefold is this gate of hell, destructive of the self: desire, anger and greed. Therefore one should give up these three.

The same three, kama, krodha and lobha, are named in other places. Read the full explanation

Meanings and explanations are our own wording, not an authorised translation. Readers of the Gita follow different traditions and teachers; please ask yours about what you read here.