Rigveda – Mandala 1, Sukta – 71 & 72

We shall discuss the hymns, Sukta wise & Mandala wise. Our focus is on the implicit meaning of the various hymns instead of literal translations of the hymns. These purported meanings are based primarily on the English translations by Swami Dharmanand Saraswati of the works done by Swami Dayanand Saraswati.
 
Highlights –
Men should acquire Dharma (righteousness) Artha (Wealth) Kama (fulfilment of noble desires) and Moksha (emancipation) by serving wise enlightened persons who are true in mind, word and deed, should acquire knowledge from them and should develop intellect. To make human life fruitful and to obtain purity, study of Vedas is necessary.
 
It is the duty of all men to make their children endowed with good education and wisdom and enable them to attain (righteousness) (wealth) (noble desires) and (emancipation) like other wise learned persons.
 
Men to impart good knowledge to all with honesty and straight-forwardness without deceit of any kind, so that all may enjoy happiness.
 
Women can never enjoy happiness without acquiring knowledge or education. As un-educated husbands annoy or cause pain to their well-educated cultured wives, in the same way, un-educated un-cultured wives annoy their husbands.
 
Mandala 1 – Sukta – 71

1. All men should adore God and honour the President of the Assembly as a noble (righteous) learned chaste wife serves her husband and a righteous learned and faithful husband serves his righteous married wife and as the rays of the sun and animals serve the earth and other objects.
2. Men should acquire Dharma (righteousness) Artha (Wealth) Kama (fulfilment of noble desires) and Moksha (emancipation) by serving wise enlightened persons who are true in mind, word and deed, should acquire knowledge from them and should develop intellect.
3. As business men earn money bp righteous honest means, in the same manner, the girls acquire good education and wisdom before marriage sitting at the feet of learned lady teachers who are true in mind, word and deed. They should then marry and earn the happiness of their children. The period for study is not after but before the marriage. There is no prohibition for acquiring knowledge for any male or female in the world.
4. Women can never enjoy happiness without acquiring knowledge or education. As un-educated husbands annoy or cause pain to their well-educated cultured wives, in the same way, un-educated un-cultured wives annoy their husbands. Therefor men and women should marry each other according to the system of Svayambara (choice) based upon mutual love) and then should enjoy happiness.
5. All parents should properly educate their children. As the resplendent Sun gladdens all by bestowing light, in the same manner, educated sons and daughters give all happiness.
6. O men, you should always serve your parents and preceptors who make you happy by giving good education and by the light of wisdom and proper nourishing food etc. like the sun which gives light and causes food to grow.
7. As the river go to the sea and as the movements of the electricity are united with the Pranas (vital breaths) in the same manner, men should give wisdom and good education to all their sons and daughters with Brahamcharya and after they finish their education and the vow of Brahamcharya and attain youth, they should get them married so that they may have good progeny. There is no greater benevolence than this on the part of the parents.
8. Men should know well that none can get worldly and strength. The parents cannot be free from their debts without giving proper education to their children.
9. As men cannot construct aeroplanes and other vehicles and go to distant places, acquire scientific and other knowledge and wealth and a king cannot govern without education and association with noble persons, in the same manner, husbands and wives cannot attain happiness without the development of knowledge and strength.
10. As objects with various forms become invisible in the firmament when they are in a subtle condition, in the same manner, let not our friendship be dissolved, so that we may enjoy happiness, being friendly with one another, having given up all animosity.

Mandala 1 – Sukta – 72

1. O men, God who is Omniscient and Eternal has revealed eternal Holy Vedas for your benefit. Attain Dharma (righteousness) Artha (Wealth) Kama (fulfilment of noble desires) and Moksha (liberation) by studying and teaching them and by becoming learned and righteous.
2. All souls are eternal, among them the embodied are thus addressed by God. O men, you should study and teach the Vedas and then being freed from ignorance and becoming wise and industrious, you should enjoy happiness. None can acquire the knowledge of all sciences, without studying the Vedas, therefore you should spread the knowledge of the Vedas all around or everywhere.
3. No can get true knowledge without the study of the Vedas. Without knowledge, it is not possible for anyone to make human life fruitful and to obtain purity. Therefore, all men should study the Vedas well.
4. Men should receive the knowledge of the Vedas from the Vedic Scholars observing well-prescribed rules and regulations and after knowing God and His creation should give that knowledge to others.
5. None can get the happiness and knowledge without honouring God and learned persons. Therefore, only respectable persons should be respected and none others.
6. Men should always imitate the learned persons and not the ignorant. As good men are always engaged in doing noble deeds and giving up ignoble acts, others also should do likewise.
7. (1) Why should not God be adored who when prayed to shows the path of righteousness and thus gives happiness? (2) Why should not a wise learned man be respected who when served gives knowledge and thus makes people happy?
8. It is the duty of men to impart good knowledge to all with honesty and straight-forwardness without deceit of any kind, so that all may enjoy happiness.
9. It is the duty of all men to make their children endowed with good education and wisdom and enable them to attain (righteousness) (wealth) (noble desires) and (emancipation) like other wise learned persons.
10. O men, you should suitably accept the conduct of the learned and not that of the ignorant. As rivers cause happiness, so you should create happiness or delight for all.