Yajne tapasi daane cha sthitih sad iti chochyate | Karma chaiva tadartheeyam sad ity evaabhidheeyate ||27||
अनुवाद
Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and charity is also called 'Sat.' And action performed for the sake of the Supreme is verily called 'Sat.'
शब्दार्थ
यज्ञे
in sacrifice
तपसि
in austerity
दाने
in charity
च
and
स्थितिः
steadfastness/being established
सत्
Sat
इति
thus
च
and
उच्यते
is called
कर्म
action
च
and
एव
indeed
तदर्थीयम्
for the sake of That (Brahman)
सत्
Sat
इति
thus
एव
indeed
अभिधीयते
is called/designated
टीका
Commentary
This verse extends the meaning of Sat from philosophical truth to practical action. Krishna makes two complementary statements that together define what it means to live in alignment with Sat.
Sthitih — steadfastness, being firmly established. When a person is steadfast in sacrifice, austerity, and charity — not practicing them intermittently or abandoning them when inconvenient — that consistency itself is called Sat. Steadfastness in good practice is an expression of truth. It means the person’s outer life matches their inner commitment. There is no gap between intention and action, between what they profess and what they do.
Tadartheeyam karma — action performed for the sake of That (Brahman). This is the deeper dimension. An action becomes Sat not merely by being consistent, but by being dedicated to the ultimate purpose. When sacrifice is offered for the sake of Brahman, when austerity is practiced in devotion to the divine, when charity is given as service to the Supreme — all of these are Sat because they are rooted in and directed toward the highest reality.
This verse beautifully unites the practical and the philosophical. Truth is not merely an abstract concept to be contemplated — it is something to be lived through steadfast practice. And steadfast practice is not merely routine discipline — it becomes genuinely meaningful when dedicated to the ultimate truth.
Together with verses 23-26, this verse completes Krishna’s teaching on Om Tat Sat: Om consecrates, Tat dedicates, and Sat affirms the reality and goodness of every act performed in the spirit of truth.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Bhagavad Gita 17.27 mean?
- Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and charity is also called 'Sat.' And action performed for the sake of the Supreme is verily called 'Sat.'
- What is the Sanskrit text of Bhagavad Gita 17.27?
- The original Sanskrit verse is: Yajne tapasi daane cha sthitih sad iti chochyate | Karma chaiva tadartheeyam sad ity evaabhidheeyate ||27||
- What are the key themes of this verse?
- This verse explores: Sat, sacrifice, austerity, charity, steadfastness, Om Tat Sat.