Verse 14.15
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते | तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते ||१५||
Transliteration (IAST)
rajasi pralayaṁ gatvā karma-saṅgiṣu jāyate | tathā pralīnas tamasi mūḍha-yoniṣu jāyate ||15||
Word-by-Word Meanings
rajasi-in passion
pralayam-death
gatvā-having met
karma-saṅgiṣu-among those attached to action
jāyate-is born
pralīnaḥ-dying
tamasi-in darkness
mūḍha-yoniṣu-in the wombs of the deluded
Translation
Meeting death in Rajas, one is born among those attached to action; and dying in Tamas, one is born in the wombs of the deluded (lower species).
Commentary
Shankaracharya explains the karmic consequences of dying in each guna: Rajas leads to rebirth in the human realm among those driven by desire and activity, while Tamas leads to birth in animal or lower species characterized by ignorance. Ramanuja emphasizes that the state of mind at death determines the next birth, making spiritual practice throughout life essential.
Themes
karmamokshadharma