Text 23
guṇa-mayyā sva-śaktyāsya
sarga-sthity-apyayān vibho
dhatse yadā sva-dṛg bhūman
brahma-viṣṇu-śivābhidhām
guṇa-mayyā — acting in three modes of activity; sva-śaktyā — by the external energy of Your Lordship; asya — of this material world; sarga-sthiti-apyayān — creation, maintenance and annihilation; vibho — O lord; dhatse — you execute; yadā — when; sva-dṛk — you manifest yourself; bhūman — O great one; brahma-viṣṇu-śiva-abhidhām — as Lord Brahmā, Lord Viṣṇu or Lord Śiva.
O lord, you are self-effulgent and supreme. You create this material world by your personal energy, and you assume the names Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara when you act in creation, maintenance and annihilation.
This prayer is actually offered to Lord Viṣṇu, the puruṣa, who in His incarnations as the guṇa-avatāras assumes the names Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara.