यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति तत्ते पदं सङ्ग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये ॥
yadakṣaraṃ vedavido vadanti viśanti yadyatayo vītarāgāḥ .
yadicchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti tatte padaṃ saṅgraheṇa pravakṣye ..
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Those who understand the teaching of the Veda declare the Imperishable as devoid of any attribute whatsoever. The sruti says: “This verily is that (which you wished to know of), the Imperishable, O Gārgī, as the brahmanas (the knowers of the Brahman) declare, not gross, not subtle,” &c. (Bri-Upa. 3-8-8.) The samnyasins, ever controlling themselves, free from passion, enter the Imperishable, on attaining to right knowledge. And desiring to know the Imperishable they enter on godly life (Brahmacarya) with a Guru. Of That Goal which is called Akṣara, the Imperishable, I shall tell thee with brevity.
Having started with the words “He who verily among men meditates on the syllable ‘Om’ till death, what region will he thereby attain to?” he (Pippalada) said to him (Satyakama): “O Satyakama, this, the Brahman, the Higher and the Lower, is the syllable ‘Om’.” (Prasna-Upaniṣad, 5—1, 2); and it was subsequently said: “He who will meditate on the Supreme Puruṣa by the three-lettered syllable ‘Om’ —he is borne up by the Sama-hymns to the Brahma-loka, to the region of Brahman.” (Ibid, 5-5).
Again, having started with the words “Elsewhere than in dharma and elsewhere than in a-dharma, tell me that thou seest;” (Katha-Upanished, 2-13), the sruti says, “that goal which all the Vedas speak of (i.e., are intended for), which all the austerities speak of, desiring which they lead the life of Brahmacarya (celibacy), that goal I tell thee in brevity: It is this, the syllable ‘Om.’” (Ibid 2-14).
In such passages as these, the syllable ‘Om’, regarded either as an expression of the Para-Brahman or as a symbol of Him like an idol, is intended for persons of dull and middling intellects as a means of knowing the Para-Brahman; and the contemplation of the ‘Om’ is said to produce moksha at a subsequent period. Now, the same contemplation (conjoined with firmness in Yoga) of the syllable ‘Om,’ productive of mukti at a subsequent period—the ‘Om’ forming, as shown above, a means of knowing the Para-Brahman described here (viii. 9, 11)—has to be taught here as well as some minor matters connected with the main subject. With this view, the Lord proceeds with the sequel;