Meaning
Supreme God Krishna spoke
Persons filled with the Noble Mode of Nature go to higher worlds {on death}, persons in Passional Mode stay in the middle, and people in Dark Mode, who are given to vices and are in unethical occupations, go down to hellish states of existence. (14:18)
Sanskrit
श्रीभगवान् उवाच
ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः ।
जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः॥
Word-by-word
ऊर्ध्वम् गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्थाः, मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः,
जघन्य गुण-वृत्तिस्थाः अधः गच्छन्ति तामसाः।
Commentary
It is further clarified in the Bhāgawata Purāna in more specific terms: “सत्त्वे प्रलीनाः स्वर्यान्ति नरलोकं रजोलयाः। तमोलयास्तु निरयं यान्ति मामेव निर्गुणाः॥” One who dies at the time of the ascendancy of the SattvaGuna attains the higher realms of heaven. He who leaves the body amid the growth of RajoGuna, enters the human world in the next life; and he who dies amid the ascendancy of TamoGuna goes to hell. Those who have risen above all the three Gunas of Nature come to Me. (Verse 22, Ch. 25, Eleventh Skandha, Bhāgawata Purāna)