न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः
माययाऽपहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः
na māṃ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ
māyayā'pahṛtajñānā āsuraṃ bhāvamāśritāḥ
TRANSLATION
The evil-doers, the foolish, the lowest of men, those persons deprived of knowledge by delusion (Maya) and those who are dominated by demoniac nature—they do not seek refuge in Me.
PURPORT
‘Evil-doers’, those who commit evil deeds, do not resort to Me. They are of four types, according to the degree of their evil deeds: (i) the foolish, (ii) the lowest of men, (iii) those persons deprived of knowledge by Maya, and (iv) those given to demoniac nature. ‘The foolish’ are those who have misconceived knowledge. True knowledge consists in understanding that the self is dependent on the Lord and exists for Him. But ‘the foolish’ think they are independent and also that all enjoyable things of the world are their own and for their enjoyment. ‘The lowest of men’ are those who are incapable of turning towards Me, even though My essential nature is known to them generally. ‘Persons who are deprived of knowledge by Maya’ are those who, though possessing knowledge about Me and My manifestations, are moved by deceitful reasonings to contend that such knowledge is inconsistent and impossible. ‘Those of demoniac nature’ are those who have positive knowledge about Myself and My manifestation but hate Me. The intensity of sinfulness increases in these types in the order in which they are successively placed.