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Those who are seated in Sattva go upwards; the Rajasic dwell in the middle; and the Tamasic, abiding in the function of the lowest Guna, go downwards.

Those established in clarity rise upward; those of passion remain in the middle; those of inertia, abiding in the lowest quality, go downward.

Krishna gives a spatial image of the qualities. Those grounded in clarity (sattva) rise upward, toward higher states and worlds. Those dominated by passion (rajas) stay in the middle, in the realm of human striving. Those living in inertia (tamas), the lowest quality, go downward. The image of up, middle and down maps the three qualities onto the traditional three levels of the cosmos. It can also be read psychologically, as describing whether a life tends toward light, remains caught in restless activity, or sinks into dullness. Either way, the qualities shape one's direction.