168
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta
[Madhya-līlā, Ch. 20]
līlāvatārera kailuṅ dig-daraśana guṇāvatārera ebe śuna vivaraṇa
SYNONYMS
līlā-avatārera —of the incarnations of pastimes;  kailuṅ —I have done;  dik-daraśana —indicating the direction only;  guṇa-avatārera —of incarnations of the material qualities;  ebe —now;  śuna vivaraṇa —hear the description.
TRANSLATION
“I have given a few examples of pastime incarnations. Now I will describe the guṇa-avatāras, the incarnations of the material qualities. Please listen.”
TEXT 301
ব্রহ্মা, বিষ্ণু, শিব,— তিন গুণ অবতার । ত্রিগুণ অঙ্গীকরি’ করে হ্যুগ্যদি-ব্যবহার ॥ ৩০১ ॥
brahmā, viṣṇu, śiva,—tina guṇa avatāra tri-guṇa aṅgikari’ kare sṛṣṭy-ādi-vyavahāra
SYNONYMS
brahmā, viṣṇu, śiva —Lord Brahmā, Lord Viṣṇu and Lord Śiva;  tina —three;  guṇa avatāra —the incarnations of the material qualities;  tri-guṇa —the three qualities of material nature;  aṅgikari’ —accepting;  kare —does;  sṛṣṭi-ādi-vyavahāra —transactions in reference to the creation, maintenance and dissolution.
TRANSLATION
“There are three functions within this material world. Everything here is created, everything is maintained for some time, and everything is finally dissolved. The Lord therefore incarnates Himself as the controllers of the three qualities—sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa [goodness, passion and ignorance]. Thus the transactions of the material world take place.”
TEXT 302
ভক্তিমিশ্রকৃতপুণ্যে কোন জীবোত্তম । রজোগুণে বিভাবিত করি’ তাঁর মন ॥ ৩০২ ॥
bhakti-miśra-kṛta-puṇye kona jīvottama rajo-guṇe vibhāvita kari’ tāṅra mana