Gita 02.62 – Whatever catches our attention catches us

Audio Link: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-02-62-whatever-catches-our-attention-catches-us/

dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ
saṅgas teṣūpajāyate
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ
kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate (Bg 2.62)

Word-for-word:
dhyāyataḥ — while contemplating; viṣayān — sense objects; puṁsaḥ — of a person; saṅgaḥ — attachment; teṣu — in the sense objects; upajāyate — develops; saṅgāt — from attachment; sañjāyate — develops; kāmaḥ — desire; kāmāt — from desire; krodhaḥ — anger; abhijāyate — becomes manifest.

Translation:
While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.

Explanation:
Kṛṣṇa, in the previous verse, spoke about fixing the consciousness on Him. In this verse, He explains the consequences of not doing so. If we are not thinking of Him, we must think of something else—our consciousness cannot remain empty.

We may engage in our work and think about it, but once our tasks are done, we naturally seek a satisfying object of thought. If we do not have such a higher engagement, our consciousness will, by default, gravitate toward sense objects.

Hence, Kṛṣṇa explains here the consequences of contemplating sense objects:
dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ: When a person contemplates sense objects,
saṅgas teṣūpajāyate: attachment to them develops.
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ: from attachment arises intense desire.
kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate: When that desire is frustrated, anger arises.

When the desire for sense gratification is not fulfilled, it manifests as anger. This sequence continues in the next verse, but for now, let us focus on this one.

A key principle here is that whatever catches our attention catches us. This is the very principle on which most advertisements operate. They present specific images, soundbites, and sensory stimuli designed to grab our attention. Once our attention is captured, we naturally get drawn into the process.

dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ: Here, viṣaya refers to sense objects.
In movies, we often see depictions of brutal violence and extreme obscenity. The common justification for this is that no one will actually act on it in real life—it is merely for entertainment. However, if that were truly the case, then why do so many people become engrossed in such content? Why do advertising agencies invest enormous amounts of money in promoting it?

Advertisements are not designed merely to entertain people. Companies invest huge amounts of money for just a few seconds—perhaps half a minute, a minute, or sometimes even less. Occasionally, they may run slightly longer, but in general, advertisements are kept very short.

If consumers or viewers were not influenced by advertisements—if they did not act on them by making purchases—there would be no point in creating such ads. The fact that companies invest so much money into advertisements indicates that they yield significant returns. From one perspective, businesses make substantial profits; from another, people are being strategically influenced.

By watching a promotional campaign featuring a celebrity endorsing a product—whether it’s something they eat, wear, or drive—many people are inclined to follow suit. This underscores the reality that whatever we observe, we eventually tend to imitate or act upon.

Not everything we observe influences us, but whatever enters our field of observation and is depicted in an attractive, captivating way tends to shape our actions. Understanding this principle is essential if we want to free ourselves from such entrapments. These setups are designed to capture our attention and draw us in. To avoid being ensnared, we must become aware of the mechanisms through which they operate.

The mechanism at play here is that whatever we observe begins to create subconscious impressions within us. While brain research and neuroscience are still developing and often speculative, studies suggest that repeated engagement in a particular activity leads to the rewiring of neural connections in the brain. These newly formed patterns make that activity increasingly likely to be repeated, reinforcing the behavior over time.

This means that our brain develops a kind of hardwiring based on our behavior, similar to how computers have default programs that run upon startup. In the brain, neuronal cells have axons and dendrites, which form connections through synapses. The way these neurons connect—determining which ones link together, how they connect, and how strongly—shapes our thought patterns and influences our habitual behaviors.

Of course, our thinking can change, but we all develop thought habits or prejudices. For example, in the past, people held strong biases against certain races or castes, leading to ingrained reactions. These mental patterns form because the brain’s neural pathways get wired in a particular way, making certain thoughts or responses almost automatic. However, this wiring is not permanent. With consistent effort and different ways of thinking, new neural connections can form, changing those ingrained reactions.

This aligns with what Kṛṣṇa is explaining—a certain pattern emerges in how we mentally respond to things. For example, an alcoholic sees a bottle of alcohol—dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ. Here, viṣaya refers to the bottle of alcohol, and dhyāyato means contemplating it. This contemplation could come from seeing an advertisement on television or a billboard on the road. Then what happens? saṅgas teṣūpajāyate—“Hey, that looks good—I want it.” This is attachment. Next, saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ—the desire intensifies: “I must have it at any cost.” This is infatuation, a craving or obsession. The mind protests: “No, you can’t afford it. It’s bad for your health. Last time, you made a fool of yourself.” But then comes the final stage—defiance: “Who cares? I’m going to drink.”

What follows is kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate—from desire arises anger. Krodha means anger, fury. “Who says I can’t have it? I will have it! Who is going to stop me? Let me see who dares to stop me!” This is krodha. And in this way, we become entangled.

What begins with contemplation ends in infuriation. A person becomes consumed by fury, and that fury becomes the cause of great misery. As we will see, it eventually leads to downfall. In this verse, Kṛṣṇa outlines these four stages in the sequence of falldown.

A person who has never drunk alcohol will see a bottle or an advertisement and feel nothing—there’s no reaction because the habit isn’t there, and at a neuronal level, the brain circuitry hasn’t been wired to prompt an instinctive craving. For someone who has indulged a few times and developed a fascination, the neuronal wiring shifts, making it an option that presents itself occasionally. But for a person habituated to drinking, it’s no longer just an option—it becomes the default response, forcefully pushing itself forward.

Unless one consciously and forcefully rejects it, the person simply acts—upon seeing alcohol, the hand reaches out almost automatically for a bottle or a glass, leading to indulgence. In this way, one succumbs.

The speed at which one moves from dhyāyato to saṅga, to kāma, to krodha—ultimately leading to praṇaśyati (as mentioned in the next verse)—varies based on how habituated a person is to a particular indulgence. Someone who has never drunk alcohol may initially have no attraction, but if they repeatedly watch advertisements and see images of people supposedly enjoying it, this continuous dhyāyato (contemplation) will eventually lead to saṅga (attachment), kāma (desire), krodha (anger), and ultimately praṇaśyati (destruction).

This sequence happens to everyone, but it can be avoided by preventing dhyāyato (contemplation). Kṛṣṇa is not saying dṛśyataḥ viṣayān puṁsaḥ—we cannot move through the world with closed eyes, but we don’t have to dwell on whatever we see. Instead, we have meaningful things to contemplate: Kṛṣṇa, our service to Him, and the constructive duties in our lives. By focusing on positive contemplation, we can prevent this negative downslide.

Thank you.