Chapter 14: Three Modes of Natureगुणत्रयविभागयोग
14:18
“Those established in sattva rise upward; those in rajas remain in the middle; those in tamas, abiding in the lowest quality, go downward.”
Sanskrit
ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः | जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः ||
Transliteration
ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ
Commentary
Sattva elevates the soul to higher realms, rajas keeps one in the middle plane of human existence, and tamas drags one down to lower births. The gunas determine one's trajectory.
Chapter 14
Three Modes of Nature