Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 20
The Appearance of Lord Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa) and the Divine Exchange with Yoga-māyā
स त्वं त्रिलोकस्थितये स्वमायया बिभर्षि शुक्लं खलु वर्णमात्मन: । सर्गाय रक्तं रजसोपबृंहितं कृष्णं च वणन तमसा जनात्यये ॥ २० ॥
sa tvaṁ tri-loka-sthitaye sva-māyayā bibharṣi śuklaṁ khalu varṇam ātmanaḥ sargāya raktaṁ rajasopabṛṁhitaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ ca varṇaṁ tamasā janātyaye
My Lord, Your form is transcendental to the three material modes, yet for the maintenance of the three worlds, You assume the white color of Viṣṇu in goodness; for creation, which is surrounded by the quality of passion, You appear reddish; and at the end, when there is a need for annihilation, which is surrounded by ignorance, You appear blackish.
Vasudeva prayed to the Lord, “You are called śuklam. Śuklam, or ‘whiteness,’ is the symbolic representation of the Absolute Truth because it is unaffected by the material qualities. Lord Brahmā is called rakta, or red, because Brahmā represents the qualities of passion for creation. Darkness is entrusted to Lord Śiva because he annihilates the cosmos. The creation, annihilation and maintenance of this cosmic manifestation are conducted by Your potencies, yet You are always unaffected by those qualities.” As confirmed in the Vedas, harir hi nirguṇaḥ sākṣāt: the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always free from all material qualities. It is also said that the qualities of passion and ignorance are nonexistent in the person of the Supreme Lord.
FAQs
It states that the Lord, by His own potency, assumes white for maintenance, red for creation (linked with rajas), and black for dissolution (linked with tamas).
In her prayers at Krishna’s birth, Devakī glorifies how the Supreme Lord governs cosmic creation, maintenance, and destruction by presiding over the gunas, while remaining their master.
It helps one recognize how sattva, rajas, and tamas influence the mind and actions—and encourages cultivating sattva and devotion to the Lord, who is beyond all three.