FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 14.15

రజసి ప్రలయం గత్వా కర్మసఙ్గిషు జాయతే । తథా ప్రలీనస్తమసి మూఢయోనిషు జాయతే ॥ ౧౫ ॥
rajasi pralayaṁ gatvā
[rajasi pralayam gatvaa]
karma-saṅgiṣu jāyate
[karma-sangishu jaayate]
tathā pralīnas tamasi
[tathaa praleenas tamasi]
mūḍha-yoniṣu jāyate
[moodha-yonishu jaayate]
Word-for-word
rajasi — in passion pralayam — dissolution gatvā — attaining karma - saṅgiṣu — in the association of those engaged in fruitive activities jāyate — takes birth tathā — similarly pralīnaḥ — being dissolved tamasi — in ignorance mūḍha - yoniṣu — in animal species jāyate — takes birth .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
rajasi pralayaṁ gatvā
rajasi
in passion
pralayam
dissolution
gatvā
attaining
karma-saṅgiṣu jāyate
karma - saṅgiṣu
in the association of those engaged in fruitive activities
jāyate
takes birth
tathā pralīnas tamasi
tathā
similarly
pralīnaḥ
being dissolved
tamasi
in ignorance
mūḍha-yoniṣu jāyate
mūḍha - yoniṣu
in animal species
jāyate
takes birth .
Important Words
  • karma-saṅgiṣu — among those attached to fruitive work
    Locative plural — the company one is reborn into. Not 'a slightly less spiritual family' but specifically the company of result-chasers. Rajas at death buys re-entry into rajas community.
  • pralīnaḥ — being dissolved
    Pra-lī — to be merged, dissolved. The same root as pralaya. The verse uses the strong form for the tamasic death: not just exiting but being dissolved into tamas, as a drop dissolved in ink.
  • mūḍha-yoniṣu — in the wombs of the deluded (animal species)
    Mūḍha — bewildered, dull. The traditional gloss is 'animal kingdom' because animals are characterized by limited discrimination. The verse is sober: tamasic death is not neutral. The yoni it leads to is structurally less capable of escape.
  • jāyate — takes birth
    Present passive — keeps happening. The verse is not a one-time threat; it is a description of an ongoing law that operates at every death across every kalpa. Memorize it and let it shape the evenings of life.
When one dies in the mode of passion, he takes birth among those engaged in fruitive activities; and when one dies in the mode of ignorance, he takes birth in the animal kingdom.
Purport

Some people have the impression that when the soul reaches the platform of human life it never goes down again. This is incorrect. According to this verse, if one develops the mode of ignorance, after his death he is degraded to an animal form of life. From there one has to again elevate himself, by an evolutionary process, to come again to the human form of life. Therefore, those who are actually serious about human life should take to the mode of goodness and in good association transcend the modes and become situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the aim of human life. Otherwise, there is no guarantee that the human being will again attain to the human status.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
15. He who dies in the mode of rajas attains a position among persons attached to work. He who dies in the mode of tamas is born in the wombs of the foolish.
Commentary

Those who die in the mode of rajas are born among men attached to work (karma-saṅgiṣu).

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
15. He who dies in the mode of rajas attains a position among persons attached to work. He who dies in the mode of tamas is born in the wombs of the lower species.
Commentary

Dying with a predominance of rajas, a person is born among men attached to kāmya karmas [Note: Kāmya karmas are scripturally ordained acts which are optional, performed for fulfilling personal desires ,such as begetting children or gaining wealth.] (karma saṅgiṣu). Dying with a predominance of tamas, a person is born among animal species or something similar.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Next will be the result of actions in the modes. It is quite a thorough description of how the modes of material nature control those in the material world and they push them, their destinations are going to be...

[8. Actions in goodness result in piety, seeing things as they are, and life on heavenly planets; actions in passion result in misery, greed and life on earthly planets; and actions in ignorance result in foolishness, madness, illusion, and life in hell. (16‑18) ]

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: Death in different modes

Texts 14.16* – 14.18*

COMMON THEME: Results of actions in different modes (Covered in Summarized Theme 14A above)

Focus of Learning

(a) Mode of passion results in misery

e.g. Building a skyscraper requires so much toil and misery for little happiness
One may experience so-called mental happiness e.g. I have this house or money

(b) Mode of Ignorance

Ignorance leads to misery – Examples:
Performer is without knowledge and therefore all activities lead to misery and next life is animal life
Animal life is always miserable but under illusion one does not understand this
Grossest type of ignorance – Slaughtering poor animals for the taste of tongue - especially cow killing is most vicious
Ref. Rg Veda – Killing cow after taking its milk is the grossest ignorance

(c) WARNING! Human society is advancing in the wrong direction

Ref. Vishnu Purana – “Namo brahmanya”
Brahmanas are the symbol of spiritual education
Cows are the symbol of most valuable food. They are very dear to Krishna
“Real advancement of civilization” implies that Brahamans and cows must be given all protection
Modern human society – spiritual knowledge is neglected, cow killing is encouraged

(d) Suggested solution: All nations should take care to provide the easiest process, Krishna

consciousness, to save humanity from the greatest danger

(a) Death in mode of goodness (14.14)

“Amalan” – indicates free from mode of passion and ignorance
Mode of goodness – Purest form of existence in material world

(b) Death in mode of passion and ignorance (14.15)

Establishes that after human life that soul can also go down to lower existence
This refutes that one can never go down from human life
Aim of human life
Take to mode of goodness
Take to good association
Gradually transcend all the three modes and situate yourself in Krishna consciousness

(a) According to the degree of goodness one can go to different upper planetary systems

(b) Passion is usually mixed, between goodness and ignorance

Even if pure passion, one remains on earth as a king or a rich man
Otherwise may go down
May go mad in the next life
One cannot forcibly go to higher planets

(c) Mode of Ignorance

Lowest Quality
Result is very risky
According to the degree one comes to any of the 8 million species
“Tamasah” – Those who continue to stay in ignorance without rising to the higher modes have a very dark future

(d) Krishna consciousness is the “System and opportunity to elevate to higher mode of goodness”

(a) How does Krishna consciousness help

One will develop the mode of goodness in this society
People will see things as they are

(b) Mode of ignorance – One does not see things as they are because ‘no education’ makes one

irresponsible e.g. one does not see the equal and opposite reactions of animal killing

(c) How to stop irresponsible activities and benefit the current civilization

Educate to stop irresponsible behavior
Education makes them sober and one knows things as they are
Then one becomes happy and prosperous

(d) What if all do not take to this education

Even if a certain percentage develops Krishna consciousness and become situated in the mode of goodness, then there is peace and prosperity all over
Otherwise under passion there will be no peace and prosperity
Makes one greedy and unlimited hankering for sense enjoyment
Even if one has money, he will neither be happy nor have peace of mind because under the mode of passion his profession and occupation are very troublesome
Devise so many plans and schemes to acquire money to maintain his status quo.
And ignorance makes one mad, distressed by various circumstances one takes shelter of intoxications and sinks further down – future is very dark

(e) Happiness is only possible in the mode of goodness by practicing Krishna consciousness; not just

by earning money

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
14.15 Pralayam gatva, when one does; rajasi, while the ality of rajas predominates; jayate, he is born; karma-sangisu, among people attached to activity, among human beings having attachment to work. Tatha, similarly, in that very way; pralinah, when one dies; tamasi, while tamas predominates; jayate, he takes birth; mudha-yonisu, among the stupid species, such as animals etc. A summary of the idea of the preceding (three) verses is being stated:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
14.15 (a) Meeting with death when Rajas is preponderant, one is rorn in the families of those who act for the sake of fruits for themselves. Being rorn in such families, he becomes alified to perform auspicious acts which constitute the way for attaining heaven and the like. (b) Similarly, one who dies when Tamas is preponderant is born in the wombs of beings lacking in intelligence, namely, in the wombs of dogs, pigs etc. The meaning is that he is rorn as one incapable of realising any human end.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
14.14-15 Yada etc. Rajasi etc. When the Sattva is predominantly on the increase on account of increase on account on account of incessantly practising actions of the Sattva throughout the entire life-at that [time] having met dissolution [of body], one attains the auspicious worlds. Likewise whosoever has practised throughout his life the activities of the Rajas, he, by his [last] journey attains manhood for mixed enjoyment. Likewise : i.e. in the same order, if one practises action of the Tamas alone by one's entire life, then [on his death] he is rorn in the bodies of the hell, of the animals, of the trees and so on. Those, who explain [the passage under study to the effect] : 'These results [are for him in whom] the Sattva etc., have predominantly increased only at the time of death' - these commentators have not correctly entered into (grasped) the behaviour of the embodied. For, nothing but delusion arises, by all means at the last moment, without exception in the case of one and all. However, with regard to our explanation [given above] these passages and other verses (Ch. VIII, 5ff) speak in one voice.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
14.15 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 senseless.
Commentary

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.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
14.15 When one dies while rajas predominates, he is born among people attached to activity. Similarly, when one dies while tamas predominates, he takes birth among the stupid species.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
14.15 When Passion prevails, the soul is reborn among those who love activity; when Ignorance rules, it enters the wombs of the ignorant.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 9.21 BG 8.6 BG 15.8 SB 11.25.22 SB 3.32.3 SB 5.26.13 CC Madhya 19.138 CC Madhya 20.118 CC Madhya 22.26 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.6Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.10.7
Study Q&A referencing this verse
Sciences essays referencing this verse
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
If one dies in rajas, he is born among those engaged in fruitive activity; in tamas, he takes birth in the animal kingdom.
Practical Applications
  • Take seriously the consequences of dominant mode at death.
  • Use this verse for daily mode-vigilance.
  • Cultivate sattva or transcendence.
Reflection Questions
  • Which mode would dominate if I died today?
  • What does that ask of me?
Analogy

Water seeks its own level. Whatever the mode at death is, the next birth seeks that level — rajas finds its way to a rajasic household, tamas finds its way to a tamasic womb. Gravity is precise.

Stories
Bharata Mahārāja and the deer

The great Bharata, having renounced empire for tapas, allowed his mind in his last hours to settle on the orphaned deer he had been raising. At death the mind was caught on the deer — not in tamas exactly, but in attached rajas-tinged saṅga. The next birth was as a deer.

The Bhāgavatam preserves the episode as the canonical commentary on this verse. Even a great sage paid the consequence of mode-at-death. The same principle is impartial.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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