Chapter 46
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति भजते निर्गुणो गुणान् । क्रीडन्नतीतोऽपि गुणै: सृजत्यवति हन्त्यज: ॥ ४० ॥
Transliteration
sattvaṁ rajas tama iti bhajate nirguṇo guṇān krīḍann atīto ’pi guṇaiḥ sṛjaty avan hanty ajaḥ
Synonyms (Word-for-Word)
sattvam — goodness; rajaḥ — passion; tamaḥ — and ignorance; iti — thus called; bhajate — He accepts; nirguṇaḥ — beyond the material modes; guṇān — the modes; krīḍan — playing; atītaḥ — transcendental; api — although; guṇaiḥ — using the modes; sṛjati — He creates; avati — maintains; hanti — and destroys; ajaḥ — the unborn Lord.
Translation
“Although beyond the three modes of material nature — goodness, passion and ignorance — the transcendental Lord accepts association with them as His play. Thus the unborn Supreme Lord utilizes the material modes to create, maintain and destroy.”