Chapter 7, Verse 15 (Bhagavad Gita 7.15)
Chapter 7: Jñāna Vijñāna Yog – Self-Knowledge and Enlightenment
Sanskrit Shloka
न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः। माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः
Transliteration
na māṁ duṣhkṛitino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ māyayāpahṛita-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśhritāḥ
Word Meanings
na—not; mām—unto me; duṣhkṛitinaḥ—the evil doers; mūḍhāḥ—the ignorant; prapadyante—surrender; nara-adhamāḥ—one who lazily follows one’s lower nature; māyayā—by God’s material energy; apahṛita jñānāḥ—those with deluded intellect; āsuram—demoniac; bhāvam—nature; āśhritāḥ—surrender
Translation
Those who are 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.
Meaning & Commentary
In this verse, Lord Krishna explains the psychological barriers that prevent a soul from recognizing the ultimate truth. When human intelligence is clouded by material desire and ego, the individual loses sight of the eternal connection to Shri Krishna. This 'demonic' nature is not necessarily about mythical beings, but about a mindset that rejects spiritual law in favor of short-sighted selfishness. Lord Krishna teaches that true knowledge is not just intellectual, but a state of clarity that allows one to surrender the ego. By overcoming these illusions, one can transcend the cycle of ignorance and turn toward the divine path.