Quiz · 17.23–17.28
Oṃ tat sat
Cover the answer. Read the Devanagari of the verse before you open it.
1
In 17.23, what case is brahmaṇaḥ (ब्रह्मणः), and what question does that case answer?
Answer
Genitive singular of brahman (ब्रह्मन्). It answers "of." nirdeśaḥ (निर्देशः), the pointer, is threefold and remembered, and it is the pointer of brahman (ब्रह्मन्).
2
In 17.26, sat (सत्) meets śabdaḥ (शब्दः). What is recited, and which sandhi makes it?
Answer
sacchabdaḥ (सच्छब्दः). t (त्) before ś (श्) becomes c (च्), and the ś (श्) is written ch (छ्). The word inside sacch (सच्छ्) is still sat (सत्). The same t (त्) before bh (भ्) in sadbhāve (सद्भावे) is written d (द्) instead.
3
Say what 17.28 means, in one sentence.
Answer
Whatever is offered, given, undergone as austerity, or done without faith is called असत्, Pārtha (पार्थ), and that is not so after death, and not here.
4
Where does 17.23 through 17.28 sit in the talk between Arjuna (अर्जुन) and Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण)?
Answer
Sacrifice, austerity, and gift have each been sorted under the three strands. Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण) now names oṃ tat sat (ॐ तत् सत्) as the threefold pointer to brahman (ब्रह्मन्), by which the brāhmaṇas (ब्राह्मण), the Vedas (वेद), and the sacrifices were ordained of old. The acts of those who speak brahman (ब्रह्मन्) go forward with oṃ (ॐ) uttered. With tat (तत्), and without aiming at a fruit, those who long for release do the acts of sacrifice, austerity, and gift. sat (सत्) is used in being, in goodness, and of a praised act. Steadiness in sacrifice, austerity, and gift is called sat (सत्), and so is action done for the sake of tat (तत्). Whatever is offered, given, or undergone as austerity without faith is called asat (असत्), and that is not so after death, and not here.
5
Say the triple pointer, then the name of the act done without faith. Which saying shows the sitting has failed?
Answer
oṃ tat sat (ॐ तत् सत्), the threefold pointer to brahman (ब्रह्मन्). Whatever is offered, given, undergone as austerity, or done without faith is asat (असत्), neither after death nor here. The sitting fails if those three words are named as the three strands, or if the faithless act is called sat (सत्).