अवजानन्ति मां मूढा मानुषीं तनुमाश्रितम् ।
परं भावमजानन्तो मम भूतमहेश्वरम् ॥
परं भावमजानन्तो मम भूतमहेश्वरम् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
मूर्खलोग मेरे सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंके महान् ईश्वररूप परमभावको न जानते हुए मुझे मनुष्यशरीरके आश्रित मानकर अर्थात् साधारण मनुष्य मानकर मेरी अवज्ञा करते हैं ॥
English
Fools despise Me when I dwell in a human form, not knowing My higher nature as the great Lord of all beings.
What this verse means
People mock Krishna because they see only a human body and miss his higher nature as the lord of all beings.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, Krishna keeps teaching Arjuna while the armies wait. He explains why some people dismiss him: they see only a human body and miss his vast nature as ruler of all beings. This verse answers that misunderstanding directly.
Why this verse still matters
You meet someone in a plain shirt and underestimate them before they speak. Or you dismiss a quiet teacher, a grieving parent, or a soft-spoken leader because the surface seems ordinary.
The takeaway
Respect can fail when we judge by appearance alone. Seeing more deeply changes everything.
Word-by-word translation
अवजानन्ति (despise) / माम् (Me) / मूढाः (the deluded) / मानुषीम् (human) / तनुम् (form) / आश्रितम् (having taken refuge in) / परम् (higher) / भावम् (nature) / अजानन्तः (not knowing) / मम (My) / भूतमहेश्वरम् (great Lord of beings)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9: Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga — The Royal Knowledge, which contains 34 verses.
Explore related themes: bhagavan (11 verses)