सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति भजते निर्गुणो गुणान् । क्रीडन्नतीतोऽपि गुणै: सृजत्यवति हन्त्यज: ॥ ४० ॥
sattvaṁ rajas tama iti bhajate nirguṇo guṇān krīḍann atīto ’pi guṇaiḥ sṛjaty avan hanty ajaḥ
- 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
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.