Chapter 14 · Verse 15

Yoga through Understanding the Three Modes of Material Nature

रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते।तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते

rajasi pralayaṁ gatvā karma-saṅgiṣhu jāyate tathā pralīnas tamasi mūḍha-yoniṣhu jāyate

Word Meanings

rajasi — in the mode of passion; pralayam — death; gatvā — attaining; karma-saṅgiṣhu — among people driven by work; jāyate — are born; tathā — likewise; pralīnaḥ — dying; tamasi — in the mode of ignorance; mūḍha-yoniṣhu — in the animal kingdom; jāyate — takes birth

Language:

Translation

Dying when passion prevails, one is born among those attached to action; dying when ignorance prevails, one takes birth in the wombs of the deluded.

Commentary

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.