Manava Dharmashastra 2.83

2.83

oṅkāra ekākṣaram | tatparaṃ brahma | brahmaprāptihetutvāt | "tajjapastadarthabhāvanā" (yoga sū. 1|28) tayā brahmaprāpterevamucyate | omiti brahmābhidhānam | evaṃ hyāhuḥ 'tasya vācakaḥ praṇava' iti | (yoga sū. 1|27) "tatparaṃ prakṛṣṭaṃ kutaḥ" | anyābhyaḥ brahmopāsanābhyaḥ | "annaṃ brahma tyupāsīta," "ādityo brahma tyādeśa" iti evamādyābhya upāsanābhyaḥ oṅkāropāsanā prakṛṣyate | adhyayanādeva tatprāptyabhidhānāt | śabdasyaiva ca brahmatvena śravaṇāt - "śabdabrahmaṇi niṣṇātaḥ paraṃ brahmādhigacchatīti" | sarvo hyartho vāgvyavahārānatītaḥ, vācaśca sarvasyā oṅkāro mūlam | tathā ca śrutiḥ- "tadyathā śaṅkunā sarvāṇi patrāṇi santṛṇṇānyevamoṅkāreṇa sarvā vāk santṛṇṇā; oṅkāra evedaṃ sarvamiti" | santardanamanusṛtiḥ āśrayabhāvāpattirvā | "kathaṃ punaḥ sarvā vāgoṅkāreṇa santṛṣṇā" | vaidikyāstāvadvedāṅkārapūrvakatvamuktam | laukikyā api, 'tadādīni vākyāni syuri' tyāpastambavacanāt | upaniṣadrāṣye caitadanyathā vyākhyātam | taccidvānupayogānna pradarśitam | prāṇāyāmaśabda ācamanavadviśiṣṭetikartavyatāke prāṇanirodhe vartate | 'paraṃ tapaḥ'cāndrāyaṇādibhyaḥ | "kiṃ punastasya śraiṣṭhyam" ? bhaktireṣā | sāvitryāḥ paraṃ mantrajñānaṃ nāsti | eṣāmiti praśaṃsā | maunātsatyaṃ viśiṣyate | maunaṃ vāṅniyama ucyate | tasya ca yatphalaṃ tato'dhikaṃ satyavacanātprāpyate | satyavacane vidhyartho'pi tathā'nuṣṭhito bhavati | maune tu kevalamanṛtapratiṣedhānuṣṭhānameva | arthavādo'yaṃ ślokaḥ |

The mono-syllable is the highest Brahman; Breath-suspensions are the highest austerity; nothing is higher than the Sāvitrī verse; truth is better than Silence.—(83)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The ‘monosyllable’ is the syllable ‘om.’—It is the ‘Supreme Brahman,’ in the sense that it is the means of reaching Brahman. This assertion is based upon the fact that Brahman is attained by the ‘repeating,’ and ‘the meditation upon the signification,’ of the syllable (as mentioned in Yogasūtra 1.28). ‘Om’ is a name of Brahman; as says the Yogasūtra (1.23)—‘The Praṇava is expressive of Him (God).’

“In comparison with what is this the highest?”

It is higher than all other forms of Brahman-meditation. The meditation upon the syllable ‘om’ as Brahman is superior to all the several forms of meditation mentioned in such texts as ‘One should meditate upon food as Brahman’ (Taittirīya Upaniṣad, 2.2.1), ‘The teaching is that the Sun is Brahman’ (Chāndogya Upaniṣad, 3.19.1); and this for the simple reason that the attainment of Brahman has been described as proceeding from the mere recitation of that syllable; and also because the word itself has been described as ‘Brahman,’ in such passages as—‘One who is well versed in Brahman in the form of Word attains the supreme Brahman.’ (Maitry upaniṣad, 6.22). Nothing is beyond the reach of words, and of' all words the syllable ‘om’ is the very source: as says the Śruti—‘Just as the needle pierces through all the leaves, so in the same manner is all speech pierced by om, all this is om itself’ (Chāndogya Upaniṣad, 2.23.4). The ‘piercing’ spoken of in this passage means ‘pervasion,’ ‘becoming the receptacle.’ “But in what manner is all speech pierced by om?”

Well, as regards the word of the Veda, it has already been pointed out (in verse 74) that its source lies in the syllable ‘om’ As regards the words of secular speech, it has been declared by Āpastamba (1.4.13.9) that ‘All sentences should be preceded by om.’

The above passage (from the Chāndogya) has been explained differently in the Upaniṣad-bhāṣya; we are not reproducing that explanation here, as it has no bearing on the present context.

The term ‘breath-suspension’ here stands for the act of suspending the breath along with the entire procedure beginning with the sipping of water.

‘Highest austerity—i.e., an austerity higher than the Cāndrāvaṇa and the rest.

“What is the superiority here (meant by the epithet ‘highest’)?”

It is purely figurative.

‘There is nothing higher than the Sāvitrī’;—i.e., no other mantra.

In praise of all this we have the next expression—‘Truth is better than silence’ ‘Silence’ is control of speech. And the result accruing from the telling of truth is superior to that resulting from the control of speech. Since the telling of truth implies the acting up to a positive injunction, while in silence there is observance of the mere prohibition of telling lies.

This verse is purely valedictory.—(83)

Medhātithi (P. 114, 1. 12)—‘Āpastamba vacanāt’—This refers to Āpastamba’s Dharmasūtra 1.4.13.9, the whole of which reads as follows—

loke ca bhūtikarmasvetadīnyeca vākyāni syuryathā pupyāhaṃ svassyṛddhimiti

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Āhnika, p. 321), where the same verse is attributed to Yama also.

Comparative notes by various authors
Vasiṣṭha-smṛti, 5-6.—‘The one syllable is Brahman Supreme; Breath-suspension is the highest penance; alms-begging is superior to fasting; and compassion is superior to charity.’

Viṣṇu-smṛti, 55 17—[reproduces the words of Manu].

Yama (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 321).—‘The syllable om is the highest Brahman; Breath-suspension is the highest penance; there is nothing superior to the Sāvitrī; Truth is superior to silence;—all Vedic acts may dwindle away, but the syllable should be recognised as never dwindling;—the highest Brahman in the shape of the single syllable has been declared

to be the best purifier; there is nothing superior to the Gāyatri; Truth is superior to silence. Daily one should repeat the Gāyatrī, 1,000 or 100 or at least 10 times, as destructive of all sins.’