Bhagavad Gita BG 17.23
Chapter 17, Verse 23 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
ॐ तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः । ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥
om tat sad iti nirdeso brahmanah tri-vidhah smrtah brahmanAs tena vedas ca yajnas ca vihitah pura
Meaning
OM, TAT, SAT — this is remembered as the threefold designation of Brahman. The Brahmins, the Vedas, and the yajnas were established in the beginning by this.
Understanding
The three sacred words: OM (the primordial sound — the ground of all mantras), TAT (meaning 'that' — the Transcendent, the indefinable, pointing beyond), SAT (being/reality/truth — the real, the good). Together they form the tri-vidha nirdesh (threefold designation) of Brahman. The three were the foundation at the beginning: brahmanAs tena vedas ca yajnas ca vihitah pura (by this, the Brahmins, the Vedas, and the yajnas were established). The teaching: these three words sanctify and establish all sacred activity.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ॐ | om | OM — the primordial syllable, the ground of all sacred sound |
| तत् | tat | TAT — 'that,' the Transcendent (pointing beyond all finite designation) |
| सत् | sat | SAT — being, reality, truth, goodness |
| निर्देशः | nirdeshah | designation, indication, pointing to |
| त्रिविधः | tri-vidhah | threefold, of three kinds |
| ओम् | oṃ | Om, the sacred syllable |
| इति | iti | thus |
| निर्देशः | nirdeśaḥ | designation, indication |
| ब्रह्मणः | brahmaṇaḥ | of Brahman |
| त्रि-विधः | tri-vidhaḥ | threefold |
| स्मृतः | smṛtaḥ | is remembered, is said |
| ब्राह्मणाः | brāhmaṇāḥ | the brahmanas |
| तेन | tena | by that |
| वेदाः | vedāḥ ca | and the Vedas |
| यज्ञाः | yajñāḥ ca | and sacrifices |
| विहिताः | vihitāḥ | were ordained, prescribed |
| पुरा | purā | formerly, in the past |