Those abiding in goodness (sattva) go upwards; the passionate (rājasāḥ) stand in the middle. Abiding in the activities of the lowest quality, those of darkness (tāmasāḥ) go downwards.
Men who are lucid go upward; men of passion stay in between; men of dark inertia, caught in vile ways, sink low.
(18) Upward is the path of those who abide in Goodness, in the middle stand the men of Passion. Stuck in the modes of the vilest constituent the men of Darkness go below.
14.18 People who conform to sattva go higher up; those who conform to rajas stay in the middle; those who conform to tamas, who conform to the actions of the lowest quality, go down.
14.18 Those who rest in Sattva rise upwards; those who abide in Rajas remain in the middle; and those, abiding in the tendencies of Tamas go downwards.
14.18 Those who are seated in Sattva go upwards; the Rajasic dwell in the middle; and the Tamasic, abiding in the function of the lowest Guṇa, go downwards.