तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः ।
प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥ १७.२४ ॥

तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः ।
दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥ १७.२५ ॥

सद्भावे साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्प्रयुज्यते ।
प्रशस्ते कर्मणि तथा सच्छब्दः पार्थ युज्यते ॥ १७.२६ ॥

यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते ।
कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ॥ १७.२७ ॥

tasmād-oṁ-ity-udāhṛtya yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ |
pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṁ brahma-vādinām || 17.24 ||

tad-ity-anabhisandhāya phalaṁ yajña-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ |
dāna-kriyāś-ca vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣa-kāṅkṣibhiḥ || 17.25 ||

sad-bhāve sādhu-bhāve ca sad-ity-etat-prayujyate |
praśaste karmaṇi tathā sac-chabdaḥ pārtha yujyate || 17.26 ||

yajñe tapasi dāne ca sthitiḥ sad-iti cocyate |
karma caiva tad-arthīyaṁ sad-ity-evābhidhīyate || 17.27 ||

Audio-BG-17.26

Audio-BG-17.27

‘Om’ is a combination of three letters – ‘a’, ‘u’ and ‘m’. When the three are combined, it results in the birth of ‘Om’, the monosyllable.

‘Om’ is the mother of all sounds, words and expressions. Hence it also represents the entire gamut of knowledge. Vedas consider ‘Om’ as the most holy and revealing word. It is prefixed to all hymns and mantras. The entire Vedas are virtually an elaboration of ‘Om’.

‘Om’ is the subject of Mānḍūkyopaniṣad. The Upanishad states that the three component syllables of ‘Om’ represent the three basic states of awareness – wakeful, dream and deep sleep – ‘a’ representing the wakeful state, ‘u’ denoting the dream state and ‘m’ signifying the deep sleep state.

All the three states revolve around a substratum, as explained in the Mānḍūkya. This substratum is different from what it supports, namely the wakeful, dream or sleep states. This ‘fourth’ is the Self, it declares. Mānḍūkya describes it explicitly concluding that it is called ‘the fourth’ (turīya – caturtham manyante), the Ātmā, and emphasizes that, that is the one to be realized (sa ātmā sa vijñeyaḥ).

If ‘Om’ is an oral reference to Brahman, ‘Tat’ is a philosophical description of it. ‘Tat’ means ‘That’ and this sarva-nāma, relative pronoun, denotes Brahman. It is the initial word in the Sāmaveda’s Mahāvākya – ‘Tat Tvam Asi’.

To imply anything true and good, ‘Sat’ is employed. Equally so, it is also used to refer to any noble act. ‘Sat’ always goes with the spirit of dedication and offering to the Supreme.

Uttered together, these three words amply convey sublimity, eternality and purity. When taken together, with each word associated with its connotation, they imply and convey the supreme Reality, Brahman.

All religious and Vedic acts are begun with the utterance of ‘Om’ (17.24). In addition, those aspiring for liberation should perform sacrifices, austerities and ceremonies without craving for any specific results (17.25). Thus ‘Om Tat Sat’ has become synonymous with all-fold felicity. Ascetics, especially with spiritual and Vedantic orientation chant ‘Om Tat Sat’ frequently. Orally, mentally and intelligentially, the words link one with the supreme Reality, Brahman.