Meditate thus on the Ātman with Om. May you have good fortune to cross beyond darkness.

This verse complements the bow metaphor, offering practical instruction and a blessing.

Om ity evaṃ dhyāyatha ātmānam — meditate on the Ātman with the sound Om. The concrete practice: use the praṇava as support for meditation (dhyāna). Evam (thus) refers to what was explained before: with the attitude of the concentrated archer, using Om as the bow, launching attention toward Brahman.

Meditation on Om has multiple levels:

• Audible repetition (vaikharī)
• Mental repetition (madhyamā)
• Subtle resonance (paśyantī)
• Silence where Om dissolves (parā)

The Ātman is not different from Om. To meditate on Om is to meditate on the Self. The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad elaborates this extensively: the three sounds (A-U-M) correspond to the three states of consciousness, and the subsequent silence (amātra) is turīya, the fourth state.

Svasti vaḥ pārāya — may you have good fortune to cross. Svasti is blessing, auspiciousness. Pāra is the other shore. The image of the river that must be crossed: on this side is saṃsāra, the cycle of suffering; on the other side is liberation.

Tamasaḥ parastāt — beyond darkness. Tamas here is primordial ignorance (avidyā) that veils our true nature. The teacher wishes that the disciples completely transcend this darkness, not just attenuate it.

This blessing from the teacher (śiṣya-āśīrvāda) is an integral part of the teaching. Knowledge flows together with grace.