श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ९.११ — अवजानन्ति मां मूढा — Word-by-Word Meaning
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ९.११ — अवजानन्ति मां मूढा
Every Sanskrit word explained in English
Word-by-Word Breakdown
अवजानन्ति
avajānanti
disregard, deride, look down upon
माम्
mām
Me
मूढाः
mūḍhāḥ
the foolish, the deluded
मानुषीम्
mānuṣhīm
human
तनुम्
tanum
form, body
आश्रितम्
āśhritam
assumed, taken on
परम्
param
supreme, higher, divine
भावम्
bhāvam
nature, state of being
अजानन्तः
ajānantaḥ
not knowing
मम
mama
My
भूत-महेश्वरम्
bhūta-maheśhvaram
the Supreme Lord of all beings
Complete Translation
समस्त भूतों के महान् ईश्वर रूप मेरे परम भाव को न जानने वाले मूढ़ लोग मनुष्य शरीरधारी मुझ परमात्मा का अनादर करते हैं।।
Origin & History
Source: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9, Verse 11
Author: Sage Veda Vyasa (Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva)
Period: Ancient (text compiled c. 5th–2nd century BCE)
In the ninth chapter, Raja-Vidya Yoga, Krishna imparts the most confidential and sovereign knowledge of devotion. Having revealed that all beings rest in him while he remains transcendent, he observes with compassion that the deluded, seeing only his human form, deride him — blind to his supreme nature as the Lord of all beings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main teaching of Bhagavad Gita 9.11?▼
Krishna teaches that foolish, deluded people disregard him because he appears in a human form. They fail to recognize his higher, transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord of all beings. The verse warns against judging the Divine by external appearance.
Why do people fail to recognize Krishna's divinity?▼
Because they see only the visible human body and not the 'param bhavam' — the supreme nature behind it. Lacking spiritual vision and faith, the deluded mistake the Lord for an ordinary person and so disregard him, missing his reality as Bhuta-Maheshwara.
What does 'Bhuta-Maheshwara' mean?▼
It means the Great Lord (Maheshwara) of all beings (bhuta). Even while appearing in human form, Krishna is the Supreme Controller and source of all existence. The verse stresses this hidden, higher identity that the foolish overlook.
What lesson does this verse hold for spiritual life?▼
It teaches us to look beyond outer appearances and to approach God, scripture and saints with faith and humility. Spiritual recognition depends not on the senses but on inner vision and devotion; without these, even the presence of the Divine can be missed.
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