उर्ध्वम् गच्छन्ति सत्त्व स्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः
जघन्य गुण वृत्ति स्था अधः गच्छन्ति तामसाः
उर्ध्व गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः ।
जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः ॥१४:१८॥
urdhwa gachchhanti sattwasthaa madhye tishthanti raajasaah
jaghanyagunavrittistathaa adho gachchhanti taamasaah ||14:18||
urdhwam gachchhanti sattwa sthaa madhye tishthanti raajasaah
jaghanya guna vritti sthaa adhah gachchhanti taamasaah
Purport Those with Sattwa-guna (with the characteristic of truth or goodness) go upwards to stay; those with Raja-guna (with the characteristic of attachment) stay in the middle. Those with Tama-guna (with the characteristic of darkness), with the character of heinous conduct, go downwards to stay.
गच्छन्ति (gachchhanti) -- go
सत्त्व (sattwa) -- Sattwa-guna (characteristic of truth)
स्था (sthaa) -- to stand; to stay
मध्ये (madhye) -- in the middle
तिष्ठन्ति (tishthanti) -- stand; stay
राजसाः (raajasaah) -- with Raja-guna or with characteristic of attachment
गुण (guna) -- quality; character
वृत्ति (vritti) -- conduct; behavior
स्था (sthaah) -- to stand; to stay
अधः (adhah) -- downwards
गच्छन्ति (gachchhanti) -- go
तामसाः (taamasaah) -- ignorant