ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः |
ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ||१७-२३||
OMtatsaditi nirdeśo brahmaṇastrividhaḥ smṛtaḥ . brāhmaṇāstena vedāśca yajñāśca vihitāḥ purā ||17-23||
17.23 "Om Tat Sat": This has been declared to be the triple designation of Brahman. By that were created formerly, the Brahmanas, the Vedas and the sacrifices.
17.23 तत्सत् Om Tat Sat? इति thus? निर्देशः designation? ब्रह्मणः of Brahman? त्रिविधः threefold? स्मृतः has been declared? ब्राह्मणाः Brahmanas? तेन by that? वेदाः Vedas? च and? यज्ञाः sacrifices? च and? विहिताः created? पुरा formerly.Commentary Om Tat Sat is the root of the entire universe. Om is the Akshara Brahman. Tat means Thath? the indefinable. Sat means Reality.Para Brahman? that Supreme Being? the abiding place of all that lives and moves? is beyond name and class. The Vedas have vent
Non-dualism. The individual self and Brahman are one. The world is appearance (maya). Liberation through knowledge.
17.23 Om, tat, sat-iti, this; is smrtah, considered, regarded, in the Vedanta, by the knowers of Brahman; to be the trividhah, threefold; nirdesah, designation, mention by name-nirdesa is that by which a thing is specified; brahmanah, of Brahman. The Brahmanas and the Vedas and the sacrifices were vihitah, ordainded, [When some defect arises in sacrifice etc., then this is corrected by uttering one of these words-Om, tat, sat.] created; tena, by that threefold designation; pura, in the days of yore [In the beginning of creation by Prajapati.]-this is said by way of eulogizing the designation.
(Showing excerpt)
17.23 '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.
This interpretation draws on the Advaita tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.
Want to explore this verse deeper?