Word meanings
- tasmāt
- therefore
- om
- sacred syllable om
- iti
- thus
- udāhṛtya
- by uttering
- yajña
- sacrifice
- dāna
- charity
- tapaḥ
- penance
- kriyāḥ
- performing
- pravartante
- begin
- vidhāna-uktāḥ
- according to the prescriptions of Vedic injunctions
- satatam
- always
- brahma-vādinām
- expounders of the Vedas
Translations
Therefore, with the utterance of "Om," the acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity, as enjoined in the scriptures, are always begun by the students of Brahman.
Therefore, all acts of sacrifice, gifts, and austerities prescribed by the scriptures are always begun by those who understand the Spirit with the word "Om."
Therefore, acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity, as prescribed through injunctions, of those who study and expound the Vedas, always commence after uttering the syllable ‘Om’.
इसलिये वैदिक सिद्धान्तोंको माननेवाले पुरुषोंकी शास्त्रविधिसे नियत यज्ञ, दान और तपरूप क्रियाएँ सदा 'ऊँ' इस परमात्माके नामका उच्चारण करके ही आरम्भ होती हैं।Commentary
Those who are knowers of the scriptures have a vivid impression of Om in their minds by means of meditation and then they will utter the Pranava with the proper attitude and feeling. Then meditating on Om and uttering it, they perform the sacrifices. Just as a hillstick is very useful in climbing a hill, just as a boat is very useful in crossing a river, so also Om is very useful and important at the commencement of an action or sacrifice. It is not desirable to renounce actions or sacrifices to attain union with the Lord.
What is wanted is total and perfect surrender of all actions to God. Sacrifice, charity and austerity are not hindrances to the attainment of Selfrealisation on the contrary the attainment of liberation is rendered easy by their performance without any selfish desires or egoism.