Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 14, verse 18 · Krishna
Bhagavad Gita 14.18 · Urdhvam Gachchanti
ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः ।
जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः ॥
ūrdhvaṃ gacchanti sattvasthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ |
jaghanyaguṇavṛttisthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ ||
Translation
Those established in sattva rise upward; the rajasic remain in the middle; the tamasic, living in the lowest of the gunas, sink downward.
Context
Spoken by Krishna in chapter 14, Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga — “The Three Gunas”, which has 27 verses.
Frequently asked questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 14.18 mean?
Those established in sattva rise upward; the rajasic remain in the middle; the tamasic, living in the lowest of the gunas, sink downward.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 14.18?
Krishna, speaking to Arjuna, in chapter 14, Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga (The Three Gunas).
Sanskrit text: traditional, public domain. Translation and explanation are our own.