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GITA, TRANSLATION & COMMENTARY, CH, XVII 1169.
SS अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् । असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ॥ २८ ॥
in the Brahma-samkalpa "Om-Tat-Sat ", which is uttered at the commencement of every ritualistic Action, both of them must be said to be consistent with the attainment to the Brahman (see GI. Ra. p. 338). Now there remains only theasat. The Blessed now explains what the result of that Action is-]
(28) That oblation, which is thrown into the fire, or that (gift), which is given, or that penance, which is performed, or any whatsoever (Action), which is done, without faith is called 'asat'. O Partha! that (Action) is not beneficial. whether after death (in the next life), or in this life.
[In short, the commonly accepted canon, indicative of the form of the Brahman, includes all Actions performed with a desireless frame of mind, and merely as duties, and which are either saltwka or are proper Actions, or good Actions, performed with a pure intention, and according to Scriptural directions. All other Actions are futile. This proves that it is not proper to ask any one to give up Action, which is included in the definition of the Brahman, which came into existence with Brahmadeva (GI. 3. 10), and which no body can escape from. And that is why the above Karma-Yogic interpretation of the canon. 'Om-Tat-Sat' has been given in this chapter immediately after the disquisition on Karma. Because, a mere description of the form of the Brahman has been given before in Chap. XIII, as also before that chapter. What the words 'Om', 'Tat', and 'Sat' must have originally meant has been explained at the end of Chapter IX of the GitsRahasya (p. 338). The description of the Brahman.
Saccidananda" is now in vogue. But, as the definition of Brahman as 'Om-Tat-Sat' has been taken here, instead of the definition 'Saccidananda', it is possible to draw an inference that the definition of the Brahman as "Saccidānanda", as a generally accepted definition, must have come into vogue after the date of the Gita.]
