Verse 14.18

ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः।जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः।।14.18।।

ūrdhvaṁ gachchhanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣhṭhanti rājasāḥ jaghanya-guṇa-vṛitti-sthā adho gachchhanti tāmasāḥ

Meaning

Sattva peeps ascend, Rajasic peeps are mid, and Tamasic peeps are totally descending.

Commentary

Yo, so peeps vibin' in Sattva? They straight-up ascend, like, to the next level. Rajasic peeps? They're kinda in the middle, chillin'. But Tamasic peeps? They're stuck in the lowest vibe, and it's a total downwards spiral. Like, Sattva peeps become heavenly bosses after they're done with this mortal coil. Rajasic peeps are reborn as humans, no biggie. But Tamasic peeps? They're goin' down, like, reborn as animals or, like, the lowest of the low humans—total basic humans who are basically just animals in human suits. It's all about how you're attached to this whole nature thing, ya know? It's the illusion, the ignorance. That's why you get reborn as something high or low. It's all about your vibes, your happiness, your misery, your delusion—it's all tied to these Gunas. The previous verses were all about the Gunas, their functions, how they trap you in this cycle of rebirth, and what happens when one Guna is dominant. But the Lord's about to drop some truth: liberation is knowing the one who's above all this Guna stuff.