February 07th, 2025

Rigveda – Mandala 1, Sukta – 32
 
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 –
Everyone should discharge their duties in the same manner as the Sun does. Sun, without stopping does his duties of providing heat, light, rain etc. to the earth and make the life to survive. Similarly, the persons in power should protect the righteous people under their protection and to destroy enemies.
           
The hymn wise, purported explanations –
 
Mandala 1 – Sukta – 32
 

1. As the sun created by God does all his natural works like giving heat, light, attraction, raining, burning etc. day and night, in the same way, all officers and workers of the state should discharge their duties properly, being engaged day and night in protecting and preserving their subjects.
2. As the Sun gives new life to all beings by striking down the cloud in the firmament and bringing it down on the earth, in the same manner, the Commander of the army should strike down wicked enemies who take shelter in the mountains or the forts and thereby should gladden the people constantly.
3. Just as taurus becomes strong by increasing vigour and becomes happy, in the same way the commander should become strong after drinking milk et cetera.
4. As a man having destroyed the force and the deceit of his enemy and having conquered him, manifests happiness and the light of justice in his kingdom or self-government, in the same manner, the sun destroys the solid cover on light caused by the cloud by expanding his rays, dispels darkness and manifests his own splendour.
5. Just as, someone pierces the body parts of an enemy with a sharp weapon and drops them into the ground and that dead enemy sleeps on the earth, in the same way, this Sun and lightning pierce the parts of the cloud and drop it into the ground and it looks like a dead sleeping in the ground.
6. As the cloud fights with the sun giving light to the world and covers him for the time being, but cannot stand before the powerful sun for a long time; when destroyed by the sun, it falls down on the earth, then by the water which is a part of its body, the rivers are filled and they flow towards the sea; so should a king or a Commander of the army destroy his enemies with his might, so that they may never raise their heads.
7. Like a weak man is engaged to fight against a powerful. As in the end [that cloud] falls on the earth after being shattered and defeated by the Sun, so is the condition of that man also, who is engaged to fight with the righteous king.
8. The water that goes to the sky with air, disintegrated by the Sun, becomes cloud. When the tanks and rivers become full of water, the cloud covers the light of the sun. When the sun, smites it into pieces with his rays, then it enters the banks, big rivers or the sea and sleeps there (so to say). It may be said that it is trampled under the feet of men. In the same manner, an un-righteous person goes to ruin, having grown much for some time.
9. When through rain, the cloud comes down to the earth, then its mother (earth) seems to be sleeping with it. The sun is the father of the cloud, being its generator. The earth and the sky are like two wives of the Sun. When the Sun draws the water and throws it through the air in the firmament, then his son cloud grows like a mad man. Then the sun smites it down and causes it to fall down on the earth. Thus, the cloud sometimes goes up and again comes down on the earth. In' the same manner, the King and other officers of the state should throw away the thorns of the people (wicked people) hither and thither and should safe-guard the interests of their subjects. They should protect and preserve them well.
10. It is the duty of the President of the Assembly, to minimize the force of the mighty enemies and keep them under his subjection. As the cloud is not visible when it is lying among the waters of the sky in subtle form, but then through rain it takes a concrete form as a mass of waters, it becomes visible. But these waters which never stop for a moment, but always go up and down below and which form the body of the Vritra (Cloud) are not seen in the firmament, as they are very subtle, similarly the mighty foes should be overcome by making their power less and less day by day.
11. As a cowherd keeps his cows confined for some time in a suitable place and sets them free by opening the door of the cowshed, as by Vritra ( cloud) the waters are kept under control (so to speak ) by imprisoning them in a way, as the Sun destroys the cloud and sets free the imprisoned waters by opening their door, in the same way, the officers of the state should captivate and keep under subjugation their un-righteous enemies and should constantly guard and preserve their subjects.
12. As when the cloud covers the light of the Sun, the latter strikes it with his rays and causes it to fall down on earth in the form of the rain. He (Sun) is therefore the cause of the seas which store the mass of waters that come and go. In the same manner, a king who is the protector of his subjects should subdue his foes, should smite them with his weapons and thus by humbling them, he becomes the instrument in their treading upon the path of righteousness.
13. The heroes of a state should get victory over their enemies. As a frightened or alarmed hawk when attacked by someone, goes hither and thither, in the same manner, the cloud destroyed by the sun falls down here and there. By its waters which are like its body, it fills up many streams in the world. There is no cause for the existence of the cloud except the Sun. As fear enters the heart of some weak beings in dark, in the same way, the lightning and thunder of the cloud cause fear and their remover or dispeller also is the Sun. He (sun) is the cause of the dealings of all worlds on account of his light and attraction etc. Bearing all this in mind, heroes should behave like the Sun.
14. The servants of the kingdom, as a wounded bird with fear flies away from here and there, so the cloud, which is torn apart here and there by the Sun, falls here and there, in the midst of the world with the water of his body. It upgrades many rivers and streams.

Like a king keeps the wheel of a chariot on its axles, like this Sun shining in the midst of a peaceful and turbulent world, moves in its orbit holding all the worlds. Without this, it is not possible to have the concept of a near embodied world, the attraction of light and rain of clouds, etc., in the same way protect the state with righteousness.