Chapter 7 · Shloka 15— The Yoga of Knowledge & Realization

na māṁ duṣhkṛitino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ māyayāpahṛita-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśhritāḥ

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

"Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah, mayayapahrta-jnana asuram bhavam asritah." — The evildoers, the deluded, the lowest of men, whose knowledge is stolen by maya, and who have embraced a demonic nature, do not take refuge in Me. Having revealed that surrender is the way across maya (7.14), Krishna explains why some people do not surrender. He describes four overlapping types who fail to turn to the Divine. 'Duskrtinah' — evildoers, those whose actions are wicked. 'Mudhah' — the deluded, the foolish, lacking discernment. 'Naradhamah' — the lowest among men, those who have degraded their human potential. 'Mayaya apahrta-jnanah' — those whose knowledge (the natural capacity to recognize truth) has been stolen away by maya. The root, Shankaracharya explains, is the last phrase: 'asuram bhavam asritah' — they have taken refuge in a demonic (asuric) disposition. Instead of taking refuge in the Divine, they have given themselves over to a nature characterized by arrogance, harmfulness, and willful blindness to higher truth. Their knowledge is 'stolen' because their own choices and tendencies have surrendered them to delusion. This verse is not primarily a condemnation but a diagnosis. It explains the obstacle: it is not that the Divine refuses anyone, but that some, through their own embrace of a lower nature, lose the very capacity to turn toward the higher. The four types describe progressive degrees of self-inflicted spiritual blindness. The next verse (7.16) will turn, by contrast, to the four types of noble people who DO turn to God — offering a far more encouraging picture.

This verse is a diagnosis, not just a judgment. Krishna explains why some never turn toward the higher: their knowledge is 'stolen by maya' because they've embraced a harmful, arrogant disposition. The key insight: it's not that the Divine refuses anyone — it's that some, through their own choices, lose the very capacity to recognize and turn toward truth. This is psychologically astute. When a person repeatedly chooses cruelty, willful ignorance, and ego-driven harm, those choices gradually erode their ability to even perceive a better way. The faculty of discernment atrophies through misuse. The sobering lesson: our repeated choices shape what we can even see. Embrace a lower nature long enough, and the higher becomes invisible to you — not by punishment, but by self-inflicted blindness.

This verse is a diagnosis, not just a judgment. Krishna explains why some people never turn toward the higher: their knowledge gets 'stolen by maya' because they've embraced a harmful, arrogant nature. The key insight: it's not that the Divine rejects anyone — it's that some, through their own choices, lose the very ability to recognize truth and turn toward it. This is psychologically sharp. When someone repeatedly chooses cruelty, willful ignorance, and ego-driven harm, those choices gradually erode their ability to even SEE a better way. The discernment muscle atrophies from misuse. The sobering takeaway: your repeated choices shape what you can even perceive. Embrace a lower nature long enough and the higher becomes literally invisible to you — not as punishment, but as self-inflicted blindness.

Krishna explains why some people don't turn to God. It's not that God pushes them away — it's that they keep choosing to do harmful things, being unkind, and ignoring what's good and true. Over time, these choices make it harder and harder for them to even see the good path! It's like a window getting dirtier and dirtier until you can't see through it. The good news: every kind and honest choice keeps your inner 'window' clean and clear, so you can always see the light of goodness!