Bhagavad Gita BG 14.15
Chapter 14, Verse 15 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते । तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते ॥
rajasi pralayam gatva karma-sangishu jayate tatha pralintas tamasi mudha-yonishu jayate
Meaning
Meeting death in rajas, one is born among those attached to action; dying in tamas, one is born in the wombs of the deluded.
Understanding
The contrast with sattvic death (v14): rajasi pralayam gatva (meeting death in a state of rajas). Karma-sangishu jayate (one is born among those attached to action — karma-sangi = people bound to constant doing, driven, achievement-oriented). Tatha pralinas tamasi (dying in tamas). Mudha-yonishu jayate (born in the wombs of the deluded — mudha = confused, animal-like, unconscious states). The progression: sattva → highest worlds of knowers; rajas → restless action-bound human births; tamas → deluded, animal-like births. This is karma's logic of resonance: the dominant quality at departure attracts a corresponding environment for the next arrival.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| कर्मसङ्गिषु | karma-sangishu | among those attached to action, among the action-driven |
| प्रलीनः | pralinah | dissolved, absorbed, merged (in tamas at death) |
| मूढयोनिषु | mudha-yonishu | in the wombs of the deluded — confused, unconscious forms of birth |
| रजसि | rajasi | in passion |
| प्रलयम् | pralayam | dissolution |
| गत्वा | gatvā | having attained |
| कर्म-सङ्गिषु | karma-saṅgiṣu | among those attached to action |
| जायते | jāyate | is born |
| तथा | tathā | so also |
| प्रलीनः | pralinastamasi | dissolved in ignorance |
| तमसि | tamasi | in ignorance |
| मूढ-योनिषु | mūḍha-yoniṣu | in foolish species |
| जायते | jāyate | is born |
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