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Chapter 7 · Knowledge of the Absolute · 30 verses

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Remember who is speaking. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Take the verse as He directs.
  2. 2Say the verse and its words. Read the Sanskrit, then each word with its meaning.
  3. 3Read the translation as it is. Let the translation say what it says, without adding your own meaning.
  4. 4Read the purport. Hear the verse through the disciplic succession.
  5. 5Bring your own question. Ask: where does this verse meet my life, my trouble, my doubt?
  6. 6Act on it, remembering Kṛṣṇa. Carry one instruction into your work today.
Read the full guide: how to read the Bhagavad-gītā ›
Bhakti & surrenderChapter 7 · Knowledge of the Absolute

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 7.15

Types of devotees and mature surrender

Īśvara · God

न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढा: प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमा: ।

माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिता: ॥ १५ ॥

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ

prapadyante narādhamāḥ

māyayāpahṛta-jñānā

āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ

Translation

Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

3 study points

Why Some Do Not Surrender

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa says the grossly foolish, the lowest among people, those whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and those with a demonic, atheistic nature do not surrender to Him.

  2. 2

    Prabhupāda explains that even intelligent people misuse their intelligence when they oppose the Supreme Lord’s plan.

  3. 3

    Make time to hear about Kṛṣṇa from proper sources and revive your eternal relationship with Him.

Key points from the purport

Duskritinas are impious people who do not surrender

a

Solution offered by Bhagavad-gita to surmount stringent material laws — Surrendering unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality Krishna

b

Why intelligent and hard-working leaders do not take to this solution, although they desire to get liberation from material laws

They pose themselves as scientists, philosophers etc. just for material gain

They have no idea of God – They do not accept the plan or path of the Supreme Lord

They simply manufacture their own worldly plans

Result of such plans – They complicate the problems of material existence in their vain attempt to solve them FOCUS OF LEARNING: PURPORT 7.15 continued…

c

Material energy is very powerful

It resists the unauthorized plans of the atheists and baffle the ‘planning commissions’

Position of material energy – It has no independent authority. Analogy: It works as the shadow moves in accordance with the movements of the object

Power of material energy to delude jiva

Atheist due to his godless temperament, cannot know how material energy works

Nor can he know the plan of the Supreme Lord

All his plans are baffled, even if they are materially learned – e.g. Hiranyakashipu and Ravana

d

Meaning of ‘Duskritinah’ — They are atheistic plan-makers whose intelligence and efforts are misdirected (‘krti’ means meritorious work)

e

Four categories of Duskritnas are explained in the Summarized Theme 7A below

Summarized theme 7a four categories of ‘duskritnas’ (miscreants)

1

‘MUDHAS’ — Grossly foolish like hard working asses (‘beasts of burden’)

Attachment to the fruits – They are fruitive workers who want to enjoy the fruits of their labor by themselves and do not want to part with them for the Supreme

Does not know for whom he should work

Just like an ass works hard for his master but does not know for whom he works so hard

Does not know that karma is meant for ‘yajna’

Level of happiness

For them, destructible material gains are life’s all in all, although they enjoy a very small fraction of the fruits of their labor

Mudhas work hard but sleepless nights, no time for food; He suffers from ulcers, indigestion etc.

Similarly an ass is satisfied by filling his stomach by a bundle of grass, sleeping for a while under the fear of being beaten, and satisfying his sex appetite at the risk of being repeatedly kicked by the opposite party

No time to hear for immortality of soul

Analogy: swine eats night soil, not care for sweet meats SUMMARIZED THEME 7A continued… FOUR CATEGORIES OF ‘DUSKRITNAS’ (MISCREANTS)

2

‘NARADHAMAS’ — Lowest of Mankind ( 7.7 – “There is no authority above Him, He is the Supreme Truth”

Civilized form of life – meant to revive man’s lost consciousness of his eternal relationship with the Supreme Truth

Naradhama – Whoever loses the chance of human life to revive their lost relationship falls into this category

Example of losing the chance – Baby in mother’s womb promises to worship Him after taking birth, but he forgets as soon as he gets out and falls into maya

Systems designed to revive the lost relationship with God

It is the duty of the guardians of the children to revive dormant consciousness in them

This is done by varnasrama system and 10 samskaras which are meant for purification and elevation

99.9% of population is Naradhama – Because they lack the Varnasrama system and purificatory samskaras

Effect of all powerful material energy on ‘Naradhamas’ – All their education is made null and void

Hope for Naradhamas – Mercy of devotees e.g., Jagai and Madhai delivered by Nityananda Prabhu

Vision of a true devotee – He sees all castes and species on the same platform (Bg. 5.18)

Recommendation of Lord Caitanya for Naradhamas

Can also be delivered by submissive hearing process (which they usually neglect)

Unfortunate condition of Naradhamas – They refuse to give aural reception to the messages of Godhead and thus Naradhamas neglect the prime duty of the human being

3

‘

MAYAYAPAHRTA JNANA’ — Knowledge stolen by illusory energy

Range of their knowledge is only devoted to material world.

Examples:

They are mostly very learned, e.g. philosophers, literary, poets; but are misguided and they disobey the Supreme Lord

Many mundane scholars of Bhagavad-gita also fall into this category because they consider Lord to be an ordinary human being

Because they do not know that the blessed form of human life is designed after the eternal and transcendental feature of the Supreme Lord SUMMARIZED THEME 7A continued… FOUR CATEGORIES OF ‘DUSKRITNAS’ (MISCREANTS)

4

‘

ASURAM BHAVAM ASRITAH’ — Envious towards God/Atheistic demons

Their arguments:

Supreme Lord can never descend in material world

but, they are unable to give tangible reasons as to why Lord cannot descend

He is subordinate to impersonal features

Present illicit incarnations from factory of their brain

Yamunacarya’s comment on “knowing Supreme Personality of Godhead”

He is unknowable to persons involved with atheistic principles

Various proofs of Lord’s Supremacy

Krishna – His uncommon qualities, features and activities

Sastra – Confirmation by all the revealed scriptures in the quality of goodness

Sadhu – Acknowledgement by famous authorities on the transcendental science

Connected verses · 2

Texts 7.14 & 7.15

If surrender is the solution to cross material laws, then why educated philosophers, scientists, businessmen, administrators and all leaders don’t surrender unto the lotus feet.

Texts 7.15 & 7.16

“Then who surrenders?”

Further reading

The Impious Never Surrender, Pious Do

Four kinds of men never surrender and four kinds of men do surrender

Of those who surrender, the Jnani with no material desire is best but rare

Chapter 7, section IV: The Impious Never Surrender, Pious Do
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nanot
  2. māmunto Me
  3. duṣkṛtinaḥmiscreants
  4. mūḍhāḥfoolish
  5. prapadyantesurrender
  6. nara-adhamāḥlowest among mankind
  7. māyayāby the illusory energy
  8. apahṛtastolen
3

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

  • Illusory energy

    Deluded persons fail to surrender to Krishna.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 7.15 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to bhakti & surrender?

Practice

Offer one act today with devotion.

5

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 7 ›
6

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

Live this todayFreedom Through Surrender to KṛṣṇaA practice from BG 7.14, close to this verse

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.