सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति निर्गुणस्य गुणास्त्रय: । स्थितिसर्गनिरोधेषु गृहीता मायया विभो: ॥ १८ ॥
sattvam rajas tama iti nirgunasya gunas trayah sthiti-sarga-nirodhesu grhita mayaya vibhoh
- sattvam
- the mode of goodness
- rajah
- the mode of passion
- tamah
- the mode of ignorance
- iti
- all these
- nirgunasya
- of the Transcendence
- gunah trayah
- are three qualities
- sthiti
- maintenance
- sarga
- creation
- nirodhesu
- in destruction
- grhitah
- accepted
- mayaya
- by the external energy
- vibhoh
- of the Supreme.
The Supreme Lord is pure spiritual form, transcendental to all material qualities, yet for the sake of the creation of the material world and its maintenance and annihilation, He accepts through His external energy the material modes of nature called goodness, passion and ignorance.