Srimad Bhagavatam. Canto 8: Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations

Chapter 7: Lord Siva Saves the Universe by Drinking Poison. Text 23

गुणमय्या स्वशक्त्यास्य सर्गस्थित्यप्ययान्विभो ।
धत्से यदा स्वदृग् भूमन्ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवाभिधाम् ॥२३॥

guṇa-mayyÄ sva-Å›aktyÄsya
sarga-sthity-apyayÄn vibho
dhatse yadÄ sva-dá¹›g bhÅ«man
brahma-viṣṇu-Å›ivÄbhidhÄm

 guṇa-mayyÄ - acting in three modes of activity; sva-Å›aktyÄ - by the external energy of Your Lordship; asya - of this material world; sarga-sthiti-apyayÄn - creation, maintenance and annihilation; vibho - O lord; dhatse - you execute; yadÄ - when; sva-dá¹›k - you manifest yourself; bhÅ«man - O great one; brahma-viṣṇu-Å›iva-abhidhÄm - as Lord BrahmÄ, Lord Viṣṇu or Lord Åšiva.


Text

O lord, you are self-effulgent and supreme. You create this material world by your personal energy, and you assume the names BrahmÄ, Viṣṇu and MaheÅ›vara when you act in creation, maintenance and annihilation.

Purport

This prayer is actually offered to Lord Viṣṇu, the puruá¹£a, who in His incarnations as the guṇa-avatÄras assumes the names BrahmÄ, Viṣṇu and MaheÅ›vara.