टीका

Commentary

The second syllable of the sacred formula — Tat — carries a specific spiritual function. While Om consecrates the beginning of an act, Tat redirects its purpose from the personal to the universal. By uttering “Tat” (That), the seeker declares: “This act does not belong to me. It belongs to That — the supreme reality.”

Anabhisandhaaya phalam — without aiming at any result. This is the practical effect of Tat. When a person truly offers their action to “That” — the nameless, formless Absolute — they release their grip on the outcome. The sacrifice is no longer performed for personal benefit. The charity is no longer given to enhance one’s reputation. The austerity is no longer practiced to accumulate merit. Everything is offered to Brahman.

Moksha-kaankshbhih — by those who desire liberation. This is an interesting phrase. Even the desire for moksha is a desire, and Krishna will eventually teach that even this must be surrendered. But at this stage, the desire for liberation serves as a purifying force — it redirects the seeker away from material attachments and toward the infinite.

The word vividhaah — various, of many kinds — is significant. There is no single prescribed form of sacrifice, charity, or austerity that guarantees liberation. The forms are many. What makes them liberating is the spirit in which they are performed — dedicated to Tat, free from attachment to results, offered as an expression of the seeker’s deepest aspiration for truth.