Bg. 17.23 · Bhagavad-gita As It Is

Devanagari

ॐ तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविध: स्मृत: । ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिता: पुरा ॥ २३ ॥

Verse text

oṁ tat sad iti nirdeśo brahmaṇas tri-vidhaḥ smṛtaḥ brāhmaṇās tena vedāś ca yajṣāś ca vihitāḥ purā

Synonyms

oṁ — indication of the Supreme ; tat — that ; sat — eternal ; iti — thus ; nirdeśaḥ — indication ; brahmaṇaḥ — of the Supreme ; tri-vidhaḥ — threefold ; smṛtaḥ — is considered ; brāhmaṇāḥ — the brāhmaṇas ; tena — with that ; vedāḥ — the Vedic literature ; ca — also ; yajṣāḥ — sacrifice ; ca — also ; vihitāḥ — used ; purā — formerly.

Translation

From the beginning of creation, the three words oṁ tat sat were used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth. These three symbolic representations were used by brāhmaṇas while chanting the hymns of the Vedas and during sacrifices for the satisfaction of the Supreme.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

23-24. The three words oṁ tat sat were revealed by the ancient sages. Brahman in the form of these three sounds created the brāhmaṇas, the Vedas and sacrifice. Therefore,

Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

23-24. The three names of the Lord om tat sat were remembered by the wise. Viṣṇu in the form of these three sounds created the brāhmaṇas, the Vedas and sacrifice. Therefore,

Purport

It has been explained that penance, sacrifice, charity and foods are divided into three categories: the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. But whether first class, second class or third class, they are all conditioned, contaminated by the material modes of nature. When they are aimed at the Supreme – oṁ tat sat, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the eternal – they become means for spiritual elevation. In the scriptural injunctions such an objective is indicated. These three words, oṁ tat sat, particularly indicate the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Vedic hymns, the word oṁ is always found. One who acts without following the regulations of the scriptures will not attain the Absolute Truth. He will get some temporary result, but not the ultimate end of life. The conclusion is that the performance of charity, sacrifice and penance must be done in the mode of goodness. Performed in the mode of passion or ignorance, they are certainly inferior in quality. The three words oṁ tat sat are uttered in conjunction with the holy name of the Supreme Lord, e.g., oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ. Whenever a Vedic hymn or the holy name of the Supreme Lord is uttered, oṁ is added. This is the indication of Vedic literature. These three words are taken from Vedic hymns. Oṁ ity etad brahmaṇo nediṣṭhaṁ nāma indicates the first goal. Then tat tvam asi ( Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.8.7) indicates the second goal. And sad eva saumya ( Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.2.1) indicates the third goal. Combined they become oṁ tat sat. Formerly when Brahmā, the first created living entity, performed sacrifices, he indicated by these three words the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the same principle has always been followed by disciplic succession. So this hymn has great significance. Bhagavad-gītā recommends, therefore, that any work done should be done for oṁ tat sat, or for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When one performs penance, charity and sacrifice with these three words, he is acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a scientific execution of transcendental activities which enables one to return home, back to Godhead. There is no loss of energy in acting in such a transcendental way.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

sacrifices, austerities, charity and other works of the present seekers of Brahman are always started with the uttering of oṁ. The three types of austerity, sacrifice, charity, foods and faith have been described generally for all human beings. However, among the sattvic people there are also the seekers of Brahman. All of their sacrifices, charities, austerities and food indicate Brahman. That is explained in this verse. The three words oṁ tat sat, indicating Brahman, have been revealed by the sages (smṛtaḥ). Among those words, oṁ is well known in all the śrutis as the name of Brahman. The word tat is well known to designate the cause of the universe, and is also known to signify the obliterator of what is not tat— the material world. Sat is defined in the śrutis as that which exists before everything else (eternal): sad eva saumyam agre asīt. (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.2.4) Since the brāhmaṇas, sacrifices and the Vedas were created (vihitāḥ) in ancient times by Brahman itself (tena) in the form of these sounds oṁ tat sat, the sacrifices, austerities, charity and other works of the present seekers of Brahman are started uttering (udāhṛtya) the name of Brahman, oṁ.

Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

sacrifices, austerities, charity and other works of the present seekers of brahman are always started with the uttering of om. In speaking of the three types of sacrifice, austerity and charity, with divisions in the three modes, those which were in the mode of goodness were shown to be accepted, and those in the mode of passion and ignorance were to be rejected. Now the Lord says that the sacrifice, austerity and charity of persons qualified with sattva [Note: The sacrifice, austerity and charity of the sattvika person are in accordance with scripture. See verse 11.] should be performed along with uttering the name of Viṣṇu. [Note: Those following rules should also understand the spiritual goal of all the actions.] The three words om tat sat are remembered by the wise to be the names of Viṣṇu (brahmanaḥ nirdeśaḥ). The śruti says om ity etad brahmaṇo nediṣṭaṁ nāma: Om is another name of the brahman. (Ṛg veda) Om is one name. Tat is the second name, seen in the śruti statement tat tvam asi: you are that brahman. (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.8.7) Sat is the third name, mentioned in the śruti statement sad eva saumya: that brahman is eternal, O gentle one! (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.2.1) These are representative names only, as there are many more. The brāhmaṇas, Vedas and sacrifices were manifested (vihitāḥ) by four-headed Brahmā long ago through this brahman in the form of the three names om tat sat, indicating Viṣṇu. Therfore these names are very powerful. If these names are used along with sacrifice and other acts, these will make up for any fault in performance of the parts of the sacrifice, and by uttering these three sounds one is assured of getting the results. Since this is so, after chanting the name om, the sacrifices, austerities and other works of the sattvika people of the three higher castes (brahma vādinām) are performed. [Note: The śūdras were not allowed to chant the Vedas..] If there is some irregularity in the execution, the acts still yield full results, because of the utterance of om.

Surrender Unto Me

Srila Prabhupada says in his Purport: "One who acts without following the regulations of the scriptures will not attain the Absolute Truth. He will get some temporary result, but not the ultimate end of life. The conclusion is that the performance of charity, sacrifice and penance must be done in the mode of goodness. Performed in the mode of passi ignorance, they are certainly inferior in quality. We understand that there is a gradual process according to the scriptures that teaches us to perform these different acts not in passion, not in ignorance but in goodness. And then gradually by doing that one is elevate towards the Supreme. But actually, that is not the conclusion that is going to be reached, because we know already so many different processes. There is the process or the oportunity for gradual elevation to the mode of goodness and from the mode of goodness one pushes on to the transcendental platform. But that is not actually Krsna's desire.