Gita 17.24

Chapter 17: Three Types of Faith

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Gita 17.24
तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः। प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम्॥

tasmād om ity udāhṛtya yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṁ brahma-vādinām

"Therefore, acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity as enjoined by scriptures are always begun by uttering 'Om' by the knowers of Brahman."

What This Means:

Therefore, spiritual practitioners always begin their sacrifices, charity, and austerities by first uttering 'Om.' This sanctifies the action and connects it to Brahman.

Going Deeper:

'Tasmāt Om iti udāhṛtya'—therefore, having uttered 'Om.' 'Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ'—acts of sacrifice, charity, austerity. 'Vidhāna-uktāḥ'—as enjoined by scripture. 'Brahma-vādinām'—of those who speak/know Brahman. 'Satatam'—always. The practice: begin all spiritual acts with Om to connect them to the ultimate source.

How To Apply This:

Before meditation, before giving, before any spiritual practice, pause and say 'Om.' This simple act connects your deed to the infinite, transforms mundane into sacred.

Key Sanskrit Terms:

udāhṛtya= having utteredyajña-dāna-tapaḥ= sacrifice, charity, austeritybrahma-vādinām= of knowers of Brahmansatatam= always