The sage met four individuals and blessed each differently based on their nature and future destiny. He told the prince, who led a sensual life of passion, to live forever so he could continue enjoying senses. He told the ascetic brahmacari, who led an austere life of goodness, to die immediately so he could attain higher heavenly planets. He told the devotee, who was beyond the three natures, that they may either live or die as their life is devoted to service. He told the butcher, who led an ignorant life of killing, to neither live nor die as they would go to hell after death. The explanations show how one's current nature determines their next life.

1. STANDARD
IX
CHAPTER 14
GOODNESS, PASSION AND IGNORANCE
What color goggles are you wearing?
Lesson-03
WHAT IS EFFECT OF THESE THREE NATURES ON OUR
FUTURE?
As discussed in 8th
chapter, whatever state one remembers
at the time of death, same form of life he attains in the
next life.
When one dies in the natureof goodness, he attains to the
higher planetsfor superior enjoyment.When one dies in
the nature of passion, he takes birth on earthlyplanets;
and when one dies in the nature of ignorance, he takes
birth in the animal kingdom.
The law of karma is given in the above verse. There is a
nice story in this regard.
The saintlyperson's blessings

2. Once when a saintly person was passing on his way, he
met a prince, the son of a king, and he blessed him,
saying, "Raja putra ciram jiva: You are a king's son, a
prince. May you live forever." Eventually the sage met a
brahmacari, and he blessed him, saying, "Muni-putrama
jiva: My dear brahmacari, you may die immediately."
The sage next met a devotee and said to him, "jiva va
maro va: You may either live or die." Finally the sage
met a butcher, and he blessed him, saying, "Ma jiva ma
mara: Neither live nor die."
Saintly person’s student saw his teacher giving these
strange benedictionsto different people. He then asks his
guru for explanation.The explanation is as follows.
MORAL: Those who are very sensual and are engaged in
sensegratificationdo not wish to die. Generallya prince
has enoughmoney to enjoy his senses(being in the nature
of passion),thereforethe great sagesaid that he should
liveforever, for as long as he lived he could enjoy life, but
after death he would go to hell or be born againamong
hard working greedyfellows. Sincethe brahmacari led a
lifeof severe austeritiesand penances (indicating the
natureof goodness)in order to be promoted to higher
planets, the sagesaid that he should dieimmediatelyso
he would not have to keep laboringhard on this earthly
planet but could insteadgo to higherheavenlyplanets.
Sincethe butcherleads a very ghastlylifedue to killing

3. animals(exhibitingthe natureof ignorance),and since
he will go to hell when he dies,he is advisedto neither
livenor die. And a devotee (beyond all the 3
natures)mayeitherliveor die, becauseduringlifehe is
serving theLord, and after death he also serves the Lord.
Thus thislifeand the next are the same for the saintly
devotee, for in both he serves the Lord.