17.23 Om thath sadh ithi nirdhESO

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Chapter 17

<< Chapter 17 Verse 22

SlOkam – Original

Om thath sadh ithi nirdhESO brahmaNas thrividha: smrutha: |
brAhmaNAs thEna vEdhAS cha yagyAS cha vihithA: purA ||

word-by-word meaning

Om thath sath ithi – “Om thath sath”
thrividha: nirdhESa: – three words
brahmaNa: smrutha: – said to be with vaidhika karma [rituals].
thEna – United with those three words
brAhmaNA: – those [brAhmaNa, kshathriya and vaiSya] who are qualified to learn vEdha
vEdhA: cha – vEdhams (scriptures)
yagyA: cha – yagyams (sacrifices)
purA – during creation
vihithA: – were created by me.

Simple Translation

The three words “Om thath sath” are said to be with vaidhika karma [rituals]. Those [brAhmaNa, kshathriya and vaiSya] who are qualified to learn vEdha and who are united with those three words, the vEdhams (scriptures) and yagyams (sacrifices) were created by me during creation.

Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam

‘Brahm’s denomination is declared as triple: ‘OM, TAT (and) SAT.’ Conjoined with it were, of old, Brāhmaṇas, Vedas and Yajñas created.’

The triplicit formula ‘OM, TAT, SAT,’ is used with reference to Brahm. Brahm here is Veda. By Veda is meant Veda-ordained work (=karma). Veda-ordained work is Yajña etc. The Yajña and other ritualistic works are connected with the symbols OM, TAT and SAT. The symbol OM is used as a necessary part of the equipment of the cultus, consisting in the performance of Vaidika-rituals; and the symbols TAT and SAT are terms of worship and symbolically related (in the sense explained later on) to the (aforesaid) cultus.

Brāhmaṇas are those who (from prescriptive right) have connection with these symbols; Brāhmaṇa representing the three Varnas (=castes, Brahma, Kshatriya and Vaisya, eligible for Veda-observances.)

They and the Vedas and the Yajñas were, of old, created by Myself.

The manner how these three Symbols are connected (or applied) is now explained. How, first, OM is connected is explained:

>> Chapter 17 Verse 24

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