Gita Talk 82–About Om Tat Sat

The eighty-second in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life.

In this talk, continuing with Chapter 17:20 to the end of the chapter, Swamiji discusses the threefold kinds of giving, according to the gunas, and the meaning of OM TAT SAT.

Gita Talk #82: Om Tat Sat — Summary

Context: Chapter 17 concludes with Krishna’s explanation of how intention, quality, and sacred vibration affect spiritual acts like sacrifice, giving, and self-discipline.

• True Giving (Dana):

• Should be done with the thought “It is right to give” — without expectation of return or karmic benefit.
• Must be directed toward worthy recipients in a proper place and time.
• Giving out of duty, love, or reverence brings real spiritual merit.

• Improper Giving:

• Given with desire for reward, recognition, or social status = rajasic.
• Given reluctantly or inappropriately = tamasic.
• Even charity done without respect, or with disdain, is spiritually harmful.

• The Sacred Formula: Om Tat Sat:

• Om: The primal sound, cosmic vibration, seed of creation.
• Tat: “That” — denoting selfless action beyond ego or ownership.
• Sat: The Real, the Good, the True — also referring to dharmic action and righteous behavior.
• This threefold mantra signifies purity in intent, method, and purpose.

• Applications:

• All true spiritual actions — sacrifice, austerity, gift — are to begin with Om, offered in the spirit of Tat, and established in Sat.
• Shraddha (faith) is vital: not blind belief, but a deep certainty born of understanding and experience.
• Without faith, such actions are “asat” — unreal, ineffective both here and hereafter.

• Final Thought:

• Om Tat Sat is both the formula and the inner attitude of the seeker walking the path of liberation.

Swamiji concludes with anticipation for the final chapter — the grand summary of the Bhagavad Gita.