Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17, Verse 23

English Translation

'Om-tat-sat' ['Om, That, Existence': 'Om iti brahma, Om is Brahman' (Tai. 1.8.1); 'Tattvamasi, Thou art That' (Ch. 6.8.7); and 'Sadeva somya idamagra asit, This was Existence alone in the beginning, O amiable one' (Ch. 6.2.1)-in these texts Brahman is indicated by the words Om, tat, sat.]-this is considered to be the threefold designation of Brahman. The Brahmanas and Vedas and the sacrifices were ordanined by that in the days of yore.

Detailed Commentary

`Tat Sat Iti nirdesho Brahmanas trividhaḥ smṛitaḥ` – "Tat" and "Sat" are considered the three kinds of names of the Supreme Being (Paramatma). (The Lord has explained these three names in the subsequent four verses.) Brahmanas, Vedas, and Yajñas were originated by the Supreme Being at the very beginning of creation. Among these three, the Vedas serve to declare injunctions (vidhi), the Brahmanas are the performers of rituals (anuṣṭhāna), and the Yajñas are for the sake of action (kriyā). If any deficiency remains in actions such as Yajña, Tapas, Dāna, etc., that imperfection is made complete by uttering the name of Paramatma. Just as when preparing food, if there is an excess of water, it is corrected by mixing in flour, similarly, if any imperfection arises in auspicious deeds like Yajña, Dāna, etc., performed with a selfless attitude (niṣkāma bhāva), it is rectified by invoking the name of Paramatma.