Gita 17.24
Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga
तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः | प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ||२४||
tasmād om ity udāhṛtya yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ | pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṁ brahma-vādinām ||24||
In essence: Therefore OM - the primal sound that sanctifies all beginnings. Those who know Brahman always commence their sacrifices, charities, and austerities by uttering this sacred syllable.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Guruji, if I just say 'Om' before actions, how does that really change anything?"
Guru: "The sound alone changes little. But Om uttered with consciousness - remembering what it represents - transforms your relationship to the action. You're no longer a separate individual pursuing personal goals; you're participating in cosmic yajna. The utterance is a mindfulness bell, snapping you from autopilot to awareness. Try it: before any action, pause, sound Om internally, and notice the quality shift."
Sadhak: "Must I literally say 'Om' aloud each time?"
Guru: "Aloud, whispered, or mental - all are valid. What matters is the conscious invocation. In public settings, silent internal Om is appropriate. In private practice, audible utterance may deepen impact. The brahma-vādins (Brahman-knowers) mentioned here would often sound Om mentally while appearing to others as normal. The transformation is in consciousness, not in others hearing your piety."
Sadhak: "You mentioned 'vidhānoktāḥ' - scripturally prescribed. What if my actions aren't traditional Vedic rituals?"
Guru: "The principle extends beyond formal ritual. Any action that serves dharma - your work, your service, your creative expression - can become yajna when performed with sacred awareness. 'Vidhānoktāḥ' points to actions aligned with cosmic law, not necessarily traditional forms. Cleaning your home with awareness, caring for family with devotion, working with integrity - all become yajna when begun with Om."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Begin morning practice with three audible Oms: first, grounding in body; second, expanding awareness; third, dissolving into silence that follows. Then apply the principle throughout: before meditation, before prayer, before exercise - a brief internal Om. Notice how this microsecond of sacred remembrance changes the action's quality.
Choose three significant actions today - a meeting, a task, a conversation - and consciously begin each with internal Om. Notice the shift from 'I am doing this' to 'This is being done through me.' When action feels disconnected from meaning, pause for internal Om to reconnect. The brahma-vādins practice 'satatam' (constantly) - you're building this constancy gradually.
Review: which actions today were begun with sacred awareness? Which were rushed, unconscious, disconnected? Without judgment, simply observe patterns. End the day with audible Om, releasing all actions - successful or failed - into the sacred sound. Let Om be both beginning and ending, the alpha and omega of conscious living.