Chapter 7 Verse 24
Jñāna Vijñāna Yog
अव्यक्तं व्यक्ितमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धयः। परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम्।।7.24।।
avyaktaṁ vyaktim āpannaṁ manyante mām abuddhayaḥ paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mamāvyayam anuttamam
Word Meanings
| avyaktam | formless |
| vyaktim | possessing a personality |
| āpannam | to have assumed |
| manyante | think |
| mām | me |
| abuddhayaḥ | less intelligent |
| param | Supreme |
| bhāvam | nature |
| ajānantaḥ | not understanding |
| mama | my |
| avyayam | imperishable |
| anuttamam | excellent |
Translation
The foolish think of Me, the Unmanifest, as having manifestation, not knowing My higher, immutable, and most excellent nature.
Philosophical Significance
Core Meaning
This verse says that people with limited understanding take the formless Divine and see only its visible forms. They think God is only the shapes and images they can perceive.
Krishna points out a higher truth: the Divine is also the unchanging, imperishable reality beyond all forms. True understanding holds both the manifest and the unmanifest together.
Seeing only outward forms comes from a small, confused view. Spiritual growth is learning to recognize the deeper, steady presence behind changing things.
Life Application
- When you pray or use symbols, remember they are pointers, not the whole truth; let them lead you inward to silence and presence.
- Spend a few minutes daily in simple inner quiet or breath awareness to touch the unmanifest rather than only the visible.
- Treat people and roles as temporary expressions; act with compassion without clinging to appearances.
Reflection Question
Do I limit the Divine to my ideas and images, or do I seek the deeper, unchanging presence behind them?