टीका

Commentary

With this verse, Krishna introduces one of the most sacred formulas in all of Hinduism: Om Tat Sat. These three words together constitute the threefold name of Brahman — the ultimate reality — and they sanctify every genuine act of worship, austerity, and charity.

Om is the primordial sound, the vibration from which all creation emerges. It is the beginning of every Vedic chant, every prayer, every mantra. When a person utters Om before an action, they are connecting that action to its divine source. Tat means “That” — the indescribable, unnameable Absolute. It points beyond all forms and concepts to the ultimate reality that cannot be captured in words. Sat means truth, reality, existence — that which genuinely is, as opposed to that which merely appears to be.

Together, these three syllables declare: “The supreme reality (Om) is That (Tat) which truly exists (Sat).” Every genuine spiritual act draws its validity from this reality. The brahmanas who teach, the Vedas that guide, and the sacrifices that purify — all were established in connection with this threefold truth.

This verse marks a pivotal transition in Chapter 17. Having classified food, sacrifice, austerity, and charity according to the three gunas, Krishna now reveals the ultimate standard by which all spiritual acts are measured — not by their external form, but by their connection to Brahman through Om Tat Sat.