यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत्।तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते।।14.14।। रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते।तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते।।14.15।।
yadā sattve pravṛiddhe tu pralayaṁ yāti deha-bhṛit tadottama-vidāṁ lokān amalān pratipadyate rajasi pralayaṁ gatvā karma-saṅgiṣhu jāyate tathā pralīnas tamasi mūḍha-yoniṣhu jāyate
Word Meanings
Translation
If the embodied one meets death when Sattva is predominant, then they attain the spotless worlds of the knowers of the Highest. Meeting death in Rajas, he is born among those who are attached to action; and dying in Tamas, he is born in the womb of the thoughtless.
Commentary
14.14 यदा when? सत्त्वे in Sattva? प्रवृद्धे having become predominant? तु verily? प्रलयम् death? याति meets? देहभृत् the embodied one? तदा then? उत्तमविदाम् of the knowers of the Highest? लोकान् to the worlds? अमलान् of the spotless? प्रतिपद्यते (he) attains.Commentary Lokan Amalan Sptless worlds Brahmaloka and the like where Rajas and Tamas never predominate.The Highest Deities such as Hiranyagarbha. 14.15
रजसि in Rajas? प्रलयम् death? गत्वा meeting? कर्मसङ्गिषु among those attached to action? जायते (he) is born? तथा so? प्रलीनः dying? तमसि in inertia? मूढयोनिषु in the wombs of the senseless? जायते (he) is born.Commentary Meeting with death in Rajas If he dies when Rajas is predominant in him? he is born among men who are attached to action. If he dies when Tamas is fully predominant in him? he takes
birth in ignorant species such as cattle? birds? beasts or insects.He may take his birth amongst the dull and the stupid or the lowest grades of human beings. He need not take the body of an animal. This is the view of some persons.