Bhagavad Gita 7.15 — Why Some Do Not Surrender to the Supreme

Why Some People Turn Away

This verse is not a harsh judgment on individuals but an honest description of mental tendencies that prevent a person from turning towards the Divine. Each term points to a different obstacle.

Duṣkṛtinaḥ (those who do wrong): People who habitually engage in harmful or unethical actions find it difficult to turn towards the Divine, because their conscience is troubled and their mind is occupied with self-justification.

Mūḍhāḥ (the deluded or foolish): These are people who are absorbed in worldly activity without ever asking the deeper questions. They work hard, but without discrimination, and they mistake temporary goals for ultimate ones.

Narādhamāḥ (the lowest among people): This phrase does not refer to birth or status. It describes those who, despite having the human capacity for reflection and moral choice, use their lives only for sensory enjoyment, like animals. Human life is a unique opportunity, and wasting it is the real degradation.

Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (those whose knowledge has been carried away by māyā): Some people are intelligent, educated, and skilled, but their intelligence has been taken over by the pull of the world. They may become clever debaters or accomplished professionals, yet they use their intellect only to serve ego and ambition, and they may even argue against spiritual life.

Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ (taking shelter in a demoniac disposition): This phrase sums up the underlying cause. An āsura disposition, which will be described in detail in Chapter 16, is marked by arrogance, self-centredness, and rejection of higher principles. When the ego takes the central place, there is no room left for surrender.

The hopeful side: By describing these conditions clearly, Lord Krishna makes it possible for each of us to examine ourselves honestly. Any of these tendencies can be present in anyone to some degree, and recognising them is the first step towards correcting them.

Message for Everyday Life (Honest Self-Examination)

Watch for the subtle forms of these obstacles: We may not commit serious wrongdoing, yet we may justify small dishonesties. We may be educated but use our knowledge only to win arguments. We may have many comforts yet never take time to ask what life is for.

Practical approach: Take a few minutes each week to review your actions honestly, asking, 'Where am I acting from ego, and where am I avoiding a higher truth?' Keep the company of people who inspire humility and sincerity. Use your intelligence and education not only for achievement but also for understanding and service. In this way, the obstacles described in this verse gradually lose their strength.