(Image Courtesy Mahanidhiswami)

The Souls’ Destiny Is Determined By The Gunas Of Their Personalities

यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत् |
तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते || 14.14||

yadā sattve pravṛiddhe tu pralayaṁ yāti deha-bhṛit
tadottama-vidāṁ lokān amalān pratipadyate|| 14.14||

Shloka Translation
BG – Ch. 14- Ver. 14:

When sattva dominates and the body dweller reaches the end of his life, he enters the pure worlds of the highest enlightened beings.

Explanation

Shree Krishna reveals that the souls’ fate is determined by the gunas of their personalities. God’s law, the law of karma, states that we get what we deserve. Those who grew up in families of pious people, scholars, social workers, and others gained qualities, knowledge, and a service orientation toward others. They either travel to the higher celestial abodes or they go to the lower celestial abodes.

Those who succumbed to greed, avarice, and worldly goals are generally born into households with a high level of material activity, such as the business class. Those with a proclivity for drinking, violence, sloth, and dereliction of duties are born into households of alcoholics and illiterates. Otherwise, they are forced to down the evolutionary ladder and become members of animal species.

Many people worry if it’s feasible to revert back to a lower species after achieving human status. This verse reveals that the human form is not reserved for the soul indefinitely. Those who do not put it to good use face the terrifying prospect of reverting to animal forms. As a result, all paths are open at all times. Based on the strength and frequency of the gunas it adopts, the soul can progress spiritually upward, stay at the same level, or even descend.

Verse & what we can learn

From the standpoint of reincarnation, Shri Krishna describes the repercussions of each guna. He claims that someone who dies with their consciousness in a sattvic condition passes to realms that are subtler than the human world. These regions are known as “Brahmaloka,” or Lord Brahma’s residence. Given the complete lack of rajas or tamas, it is argued that such worlds have no room for desire, sorrow, or sickness. Such people, on the other hand, are nonetheless bound by sattva’s bonds, as previously discussed.

After this physical body dies, our desires and thoughts, which are influenced by the gunaas, will determine our fate. The subtle body, which is made up entirely of our wishes and thoughts, will attract a physical body capable of carrying out those desires. As a result, if our subtle body has sattvic thoughts, it will enter a highly sattvic body after death.

To acquire knowledge and to implement that knowledge in life one needs to be mentally and physically active and healthy and for that daily meditation is a great tool.

There are various types of meditation like Buddhist meditation, heartfulness meditation, mindfulness meditation, meditation for stress, and each meditation benefits are countless. There is also numerous meditation techniques for beginners which help in practicing daily meditation so go ahead and start your journey towards a peaceful and balanced life.

In the next shloka Shri Krishna talks about results of different mental states.

Let’s learn to live with “The Gita” via Meditation Affinity…