तस्माद् ॐ इत्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतप:क्रिया: |
प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ता: सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् || 24||
tasmād oṁ ity udāhṛitya yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ
pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṁ brahma-vādinām
tasmāt—therefore; om—sacred syllable om; iti—thus; udāhṛitya—by uttering; yajña—sacrifice; dāna—charity; tapaḥ—penance; kriyāḥ—performing; pravartante—begin; vidhāna-uktāḥ—according to the prescriptions of Vedic injunctions; satatam—always; brahma-vādinām—expounders of the Vedas
Translation:
Therefore the acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity, enjoined by the scriptures, are always begun by the followers of the Vedas with the utterance of “Om.”
Commentary:
The importance of the first syllable ‘Om’ is declared here. Knowing the sacredness and power of this single syllable Om as the name of Brahman, the sages begin every Karma, only after uttering it. And at the end of every Karma also the syllable Om is uttered. Thus, both at the beginning and at the end of every work, the Parama Mantra is repeated by the knowers of the Vedas. Whatever defects there may be in the work done, by negligence or ignorance, all these are burnt up by the utterance of Pranava, and the little that is done, yields the highest reward.
Satatam: The utterance of Om is invariably practised by the learned, because they know that Brahman as designated by the symbol Om, is the Intelligence power that gives truth and substance to all acts of sacrifice, charity austerity etc. Just as the engine by its power draws all the coaches attached to it, just as the number one gives value to all the zeroes that come after it, even so Om (Brahman) gives life and light to every sacred act performed by man.
Question: What is the power of Om?
Answer: The knowers of the Vedas always begin every sacred act by the utterance of OM the Pranava symbol of Brahman.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 17 🔻 (28 Verses)
