Bhagavad-Gita: Chapter 7, Verse 25

Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Visnuswami

Sridhara Swami's Commentary

Now Lord Krishna explains the cause of their ignorance about Himself. It is because He only manifests Himself in and through the consciousness of His devotees exclusively and not to others. For others He is imperceptibly veiled by His mysterious and intrepid, internal energy known as yogamaya. Yoga means uniting with, maya is illusory impressions superimposed upon the consciousness, by this combination a mysterious power arises which is transcendant to material nature and has the potency at any time to make the impossible, possible or the possible, impossible or even have them both manifesting simultaneously. The ignorant are covered by this maya and hence unaware of Lord Krishna's supreme position. Thus being oblivious to His powers, glories, qualities and attributes the ignorant are unable to have communion with Him and receive His grace.

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Madhvacarya

Madhvacarya's Commentary

The state of being oblivious and lacking awareness of the Supreme Lord is caused by Lord Krishna Himself. He explains this by the words maya- samavrtah meaning concealed by illusory impressions superimposed upon the mind. All this is done according to His will so the unqualified are never able to perceive Him. Such foolish mortals cannot fathom that everything in their lives and in the total material creation manifests from the Supreme Lord alone. In the Padma Purana it states that: The Supreme Lord by His own internal potency makes Himself concealed from the minds and hearts of the unqualified through the illusion of His external potency known as the demi- goddess Durga-devi also known as Maya-devi.

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Ramanuja

Ramanuja's Commentary

Lord Krishna supreme nature is not easily perceptible to everyone because even though He appears like an extraordinary human to mortals embedded in samsara the endless cycle of birth and death which conditioned living entities are accustomed too, the reality is Lord Krishna possesses an immortal spiritual body that is immutable and eternal. Just because He appears anthropomorphic the people of the world do not comprehend that His avatars or incarnation are orchestrated in a numerous and regulated manner with the express purpose to always be accessible to all. Albeit that Lord Krishna's lilas or phenomenal pastimes eclipse the pastimes of anything heretofore witnessed as well as anything yet to be manifested. This includes anything ever seen by the powerful forces of nature who are merely His represented servants such as Vayu the demigod in charge of wind and Indra the demigod in charge of rain, thunder and lightning. Lord Krishna's lustrous glory dims the light of the sun from the sungod Surya and darkens the glow of the fire of the firegod Agni; but the ignorant masses in this world do not recognise Him because He appears in a humanlike form although He is eternal and never subject to birth and death.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Nimbaditya

Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary

Why are not all beings able to acquire knowledge about the Supreme Lord Krishna? He who is manifest in a wondrous, transcendental human-like form so illustrious, performing His lilas or magnificent, phenomenal pastimes, decked with peacock feather, flower garland down to His knees, and glorious flute in His forest pastimes and in His royal pastimes possessing such transcendental items as Srivatsa the golden line on His chest, Kaustabha His resplendent transcendental gemstone, Pancajanya the conch, Saranga the bow, Kaumadi the mace and others. Who is the subjugator of both Brahma the demigod in charge of creation and Shiva the demigod in charge of destruction. Who is the chastiser of Indra the chief of all the demigods as well as the reprimander of Kamadeva the demigod of love. Who to protect dharma or eternal righteousness was the destroyer of countless demons in His forest pastimes such as Putana, Trnavarta, Kesi and Aghasura among others and in His royal pastimes He destroyed even more demons such as Narakasura, Jaradandha, Paudraka, Sisupala and many more. The Supreme Lord Krishna whose potencies are beyond the realm of the mind and the senses and who is the sole objective of meditation by the enlightened yogis. Why are not all beings able to acquire knowledge about Him?

Lord Krishna speaks naham prakasah sarvasya meaning He is not revealed to everyone. He is samavrtah or concealed. He allows the ignorant who are bereft of faith be oblivious of His divine glory and His purely spiritual form which is endowed with qualities and attributes that are completely transcendental to prakriti or the material substatum pervading all worldly objects in the physical existence. His supernatural powers and lilas or phenomenal pastimes are not known, heard or witnessed by all. Only those who are exclusively devoted to Lord Krishna are aware of His power and majesty. As the Supreme Lord Himself spoke to Narada Muni that: One by one, then two by two, then in a group of three, great sages desired to see the form of the Supreme Lord Krishna; but they were unable to, nor will they ever be able too until they have developed exclusive devotion for Him. Only by bhakti or exclusive loving devotion can the Supreme Lord Krishna be known. Hence the ignorant, all who are not Lord Krishna's devotees fail to recognise Him as the Supreme Being. For He is not born as an embodied soul forced to accept a physical body like all embodied beings by the dictates of karma or reactions from previous actions. Lord Krishna manifests Himself by His own sweet will to perform His divine lilas or phenomenal pastimes for sport; but the people of the world merely view Him as another human being only blest to have amazing and extraordinary qualities and characteristics.