Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7, Verse 24

Chapter 7 – Jnana Vijnana Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धयः ।
परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम् ॥

Transliteration

avyaktaṃ vyaktimāpannaṃ manyante māmabuddhayaḥ .
paraṃ bhāvamajānanto mamāvyayamanuttamam ॥

Meaning

The unintelligent, not knowing My supreme, imperishable and unsurpassed nature, think of Me, the Unmanifest, as having come into manifestation like an ordinary being.

Word meanings

अव्यक्तम् – unmanifest, beyond the senses
व्यक्तिम् – manifestation, an ordinary body
आपन्नम् – having come into
मन्यन्ते – think
माम् – Me
अबुद्धयः – the unintelligent
परम् – supreme
भावम् – nature, being
अजानन्तः – not knowing
मम – My
अव्ययम् – imperishable
अनुत्तमम् – unsurpassed

Anvaya (word order)

अबुद्धयः मम अव्ययम् अनुत्तमं परं भावम् अजानन्तः अव्यक्तं मां व्यक्तिम् आपन्नं मन्यन्ते ।

Explanation

In the previous verse Krishna said that His devotees come to Him. Why, then, do so many not worship Him? In this verse He gives another reason: they do not recognise His true nature at all.

Avyaktam vyaktim apannam manyante mam abuddhayah — the ignorant think that I, the Unmanifest, have come into manifestation like an ordinary person. That is, they regard Krishna merely as a man — a prince, a clever statesman, a hero — born under the bondage of his karma. They do not understand that the Lord takes birth by His own will, through His yoga-maya, for the welfare of the world (4.6–8).

Param bhavam ajananto mamavyayam anuttamam — they do not know My supreme, imperishable, unsurpassed nature. The Lord's true nature is avyaya — never changing, beyond birth and death; and anuttama — nothing surpasses it. Even when He assumes a body, the Lord never falls from this nature.

Shankara says that the undiscerning believe that I was previously unmanifest and have now become manifest in human form, as ordinary beings are born under karma. Ramanuja says they consider the Lord's incarnation to be like the birth of an ordinary prince and fail to recognise His divine nature and noble qualities. The verse shows that recognising God requires not merely eyes but faith and a purified understanding.

Context

Verse 7.23 said that the Lord's devotees attain Him. This verse explains that the ignorant mistake His incarnation for the birth of an ordinary human. In the next verse (7.25) Krishna says that, veiled by His yoga-maya, He is not revealed to all.

Life lesson

No one's full worth can be judged by outer appearance. Just as an ordinary-looking person may hide extraordinary qualities, the divine often appears in ordinary form. Look with faith and an open mind.

Key terms

Avyakta: unmanifest, not perceptible to the senses
Vyakti: manifest form, an ordinary body
Parama bhava: the Lord's supreme, divine nature
Abuddhi: lacking discernment, ignorant