Bhagavad Gita BG 17.24
Chapter 17, Verse 24 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः । प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥
tasmad om ity udahrtya yajna-dana-tapah-kriyah pravartante vidhanoktah satatam brahma-vadinam
Meaning
Therefore, the acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity prescribed by scripture are always begun by the expounders of Brahman with the utterance of 'Om'.
Understanding
Having given Om-Tat-Sat as the threefold name of Brahman (17.23), Krishna shows how each is used. 'Om' comes first: those who know Brahman begin acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity by uttering it, so that the action starts as an offering. 'Tat' is explained in 17.25 and 'Sat' in 17.26-27.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| तस्मात् | tasmat | therefore |
| ॐ | om | Om |
| इति | iti | thus |
| उदाहृत्य | udahrtya | having uttered |
| यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः | yajna-dana-tapah-kriyah | acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity |
| प्रवर्तन्ते | pravartante | begin, proceed |
| विधानोक्ताः | vidhanoktah | as laid down by scriptural rule |
| सततम् | satatam | always |
| ब्रह्मवादिनाम् | brahma-vadinam | of the expounders of Brahman |