Begin important action with sacred remembrance.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः |प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ||१७-२४||
tasmādomityudāhṛtya yajñadānatapaḥkriyāḥ . pravartante vidhānoktāḥ satataṃ brahmavādinām ||17-24||
Use this verse as an action-start ritual.
Meaning
Therefore, uttering Om, the acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity prescribed by scripture are always begun by the knowers of Brahman.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Om marks the beginning of sacred action.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Krishna explains the use of Om. It brings attention, sanctity, and higher orientation before yajna, daan, and tapas. It turns action into offering.
Read the traditional commentary
Krishna now explains how each part of the sacred formula is applied in practice, beginning with Om. The brahmavadinah — those devoted to the knowledge of Brahman — always commence their acts of yajna (sacrifice), dana (charity), and tapas (austerity) by first uttering 'Om.' This single syllable consecrates the action, orienting it toward the Supreme before it begins.
The teaching offers a beautiful spiritual discipline of remembrance. By invoking Om at the threshold of any noble act, the practitioner dedicates it to the Divine and lifts it out of mere self-interest. The utterance is a turning of attention away from the ego and toward the Absolute, transforming routine deeds into sacred offerings.
In this way even ordinary acts of giving and discipline become acts of devotion, beginning not with 'I' but with the remembrance of That which is beyond all gunas.
In daily life
Use a short invocation before study, giving, or discipline.
A person can say Om before meditation, donating, or starting a disciplined habit.
Try this today
Start one action today with Om and a pure intention.
I begin my actions in sacred remembrance.Reflect
What action should I begin with sacred remembrance?
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Quick check
What does ‘सततम् ब्रह्मवादिनाम्’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on om, in other chapters
- Verse 8.13Let your sacred practice be sound joined to love: the syllable Om carries you home only when filled with remembrance of the Divine.
- Verse 10.9Sharing your spiritual life with kindred souls turns devotion into deep, lasting joy.
- Verse 18.57Offer all your actions to the Divine in your heart and keep your mind constantly fixed on it.
- Verse 9.17The Divine is at once the loving parent of all life and the highest truth we seek to know — tenderness and transcendence united.
Swipe left for 17.25 · Tat removes ego-ownership from action.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 17.24
Who says Bhagavad Gita 17.24, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 17.24, in Chapter 17, Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga (Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 17.24 mean?
Therefore, uttering Om, the acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity prescribed by scripture are always begun by the knowers of Brahman. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 17.24 for daily life?
Use a short invocation before study, giving, or discipline. A person can say Om before meditation, donating, or starting a disciplined habit.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 17.24 mean?
तस्मात् — therefore; ॐ इति उदाहृत्य — uttering 'Om'; यज्ञ दान तपः क्रियाः — the acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity; प्रवर्तन्ते — are begun, are set in motion; विधानोक्ताः — as enjoined by scripture.
Where does verse 17.24 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 24 of 28 in Chapter 17, Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga. The next verse is 17.25.