Rigveda – Mandala 1, Sukta – 21 to 23

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 -
These hymns stress on the need to know the properties of air, water and fire to best utilize for the benefits of mankind. Learned persons or scientists should build aero planes and other conveyances with the earth and other elements and by the combination and use of the water and air in the machines, should travel on earth, in the ocean and sky.
It is emphasized that men should adore that Omnipresent God only Who made this world in three ways i.e. (1) This visible earth without light (2) invisible subtle world in the form of atoms etc. (3) Shining solar world. He made the form of the universe that can be logically known in the firmament.
Righteous, wise, active learned devotees of God see within their own spotless souls with pure knowledge the All-pervading Blissful State of God who is Omnipresent and All-bliss. Those people who leave the sleep of ignorance and unrighteousness and wake up in the pursuit of knowledge and righteousness, they only attain the all-pervasive Vishnu i.e. God, who is perfect in all respects in the form of Sacchidananda.
These Vedic hymns convey Karma and re-birth principles. Whatever good or evil, merit or sin is done by people, they get the fruit of the same under the dispensation of God's Justice. All beings get the fruit of their actions through air, water, fire and other elements in previous as well as in the present life. They also know that the good or bad actions done by them are the cause of their birth. Therefore, they should always keep company with such enlightened persons and have communion with God.
         
The hymn wise, purported explanations –
 
Mandala 1 – Sukta – 21

1. Men should desire to know the properties of the air and the fire. It is not possible to derive benefit from them unless one hears their attributes from great scientists.
2. Without practice, men cannot know the attributes of the air and fire and benefit from them.
3. When men being friendly to one another and for mutual benefit, utilizing and preserving the air and fire with proper knowledge (of science) advance dealing in various objects, they enjoy happiness.
4. Men should properly and methodically utilize the air and fire full of force and rapidity which are useful for the accomplishment of many purposes, connected with arts and crafts and sciences.
5. The air and fire which on account of their nature and attributes are superior to other elements, become the sources of protection by removing misery when they are utilized scientifically with wisdom.
6. May Indra and Agni (Prana-vital energy and electricity) which are well-known on account of the group of true attributes in that desirable state which fills us with joy and bliss, bestow happiness upon us.

Mandala 1 – Sukta – 22

1. learned person please enlighten us about the earth and fire which are united and attained together in this artistic dealing for the attainment of all happiness.
2. The fire and water which are best instruments in accomplishing all works of arts and crafts should be properly utilized.
3. No one's knowledge or wisdom can grow without preaching or instruction by an expert. Therefore, the learned and sackers after knowledge should respectively preach and hear attentively.
4. O men, because the car possessing the rapidity of fire and water goes even to the most distant places, there is nothing far away for you. You should make proper and methodical use of the fire and water.
5. For the sake of protection and love, I invoke God, the Creator of the world by Whose Grace a man gets gold and other gems. He is Omniscient and the most Admirable. It is He who pervades this, Universe.
6. A learned wise man glorifies God and obeys His commands. As we desire to attain God's attributes of Truth, justice and kindness etc. and perform the works ordained by Him in the Vedas, so you should also do.
7. As God gives the fruit of the actions of all souls being Omnipotent and Omniscient Supreme Being and Creator of the world and as the sun divides by its light the different objects and enlightens them by its piercing rays, both should be properly and wisely utilized i. e. God should be adored and proper use should be made of the heat and light of the sun.
8. Men cannot enjoy happiness without friendliness. Therefore, all people should be united and preaching and listening to the attributes of God and the sun full of heat, should take benefit from them for enjoying happiness or delight.
9. Learned people should accept the Agni in three forms of the fire, electricity and the sun as the most prominent means of accomplishment of arts and crafts and the manifestation of the powers of the earth and other objects. In this Yajna consisting of artistic activities, the special uniting powers of the earth and other objects have been named as their wives so to speak.
10. The learned persons should visualize all sciences in this world, through the study of the Vedas and experiments having obtained from human life. Without the distinct perception of the attributes and functions of the various objects, the knowledge does not bear fruit. This should always be borne in mind by all.
11. The wives of men should be of the same knowledge, merits and temperament as their husbands, because it is only by the union of the couple of similar knowledge, merits and temperament, that happiness is enjoyed and not otherwise. Therefore, all should enjoy bliss by marrying the spouses of the similar nature according to their free choice and by discharging their domestic duties properly.
12. Men should obtain most virtuous wives for getting abiding happiness from the objects created by God. Men and women should marry each other, having mutual love and being industrious. It is not possible for anyone to get happiness without wives of similar nature and exertion.
13. Learned persons or scientists should build aero planes and other conveyances with the earth and other elements and by the combination and use of the water and air in the machines, should travel on earth, in the ocean and sky.
14. The scholars should be able to go to the land, sea and sky by using water and fire in their machines by making vehicles etc. with earthly substances et cetera.
15. When this earth is perfectly known by men with the help of Geology and other sciences, it becomes the source of happiness, the dwelling place of embodied beings and provider of many jewels and diamonds.
16. No one can get the knowledge of the science of creation without the instruction given by the wise. All-pervading God has made these worlds with seven substances that uphold all, consisting of the earth, water, fire, air, Virat, atom and Matter.
17. Men should adore that Omnipresent God only Who made this world in three ways i.e. (1) This visible earth without light (2) invisible subtle world in the form of atoms etc. (3) Shining solar world. He made the form of the universe that can be logically known in the firmament.
18. Because this inviolable, Protector and Omnipresent God upholds this world consisting of the earth, middle region and heaven (which are to be known and attained) therefore being created by Him, all these substances follow the eternal laws ordained by Him.
19. O men, look at the works of that Omnipresent, Absolutely Pure and Omnipotent God Who is the true friend of the soul, the giver of all Happiness. You must know His acts of the creation, Protection, Justice and dissolution of the world by which a man is able to do the noble deeds of truth and justice etc.
20. Righteous, wise, active learned devotees of God see within their own spotless souls with pure knowledge the All-pervading Blissful State of God who is Omnipresent and All-bliss. They see it within, as ordinary men see the grand sun in the sky.
21. Those people who leave the sleep of ignorance and unrighteousness and wake up in the pursuit of knowledge and righteousness, they only attain the all-pervasive Vishnu i.e. God, who is perfect in all respects in the form of Sacchidananda.

 
Mandala 1 – Sukta – 23

1. Living beings who desire to attain and who are blessed in attaining, the air receives all of them and fixes them on his ground. The substances which have sharp and soft qualities, knowing them as they are, human beings should take help from them.
2. We invoke both Indra and Vayu (fire and wind) which help the aero planes in touching the firmament for the joy of the objects of the world created by God.
3. Wise men should utilize electricity and wind possessing thousands of functions and endowed with rapidity and other attributes, for the accomplishment of arts and industries.
4. It is not possible for men to enjoy happiness without Prana and Udana (two vital forces). Therefore, they should know the science which teaches their proper use.
5. The creation of the water and light is not possible without the air and the sun. These (the sun and the air) cannot be created except by God and without them (the sun and the air) men cannot accomplish any work.
6. Because it is on account of the sun and the air, that time is measured and all functions performed well, therefore by utilizing them properly, men can accomplish many works and acquire wealth thereby.
7. Men should know that it is not possible to kindle fire without the aid of the wind and the growth or development of substances is not possible without Indra or electricity.
8. No one can speak, hear and grow without the aid and attributes of the air. The solar world is so great and is the embodiment or mass of fire which the winds cause to shine. Without the sun and the winds and electricity one cannot perform one's speaking function properly.
9. O learned persons; the winds which give us (health and strength) so liberally, being associated with the sun or the lightning, destroy the cloud. Let not evil-minded persons ever prevail upon us or give us trouble.
10. Learned persons accept the winds which move from place to place and are of fierce and powerful nature born out of the sky.
11. Whatever good a person achieves in life is achieved by courage and daring such as by the knowledge of the friction of the winds, by running the electric machine, by going to distant countries and by the accomplishment of fire weapons, etc., happiness is attained. In the same way, by practicing techniques of special knowledge and efforts, you should continuously increase practical and transcendental pleasures.
12. Men can attain happiness well when they can acquire first the knowledge of the science of air or wind, then of the science of electricity and then that of the water, earth and herbs and drugs etc.
13. As shepherds and other feeders of animals, feed and nourish the beasts and by their milk etc. cause happiness to men, in the same manner, the sun having supported the sky and all substances therein, by its rays and gravitation, causes happiness to all beings.
14. Because this Resplendent God who is the nourisher of all by His might know fully the hidden soul or Atman dwelling in the cave of the heart or intellect doing many noble deeds, He is Omnipotent.
15. As the sun with its rays and cultivator with his ploughs etc. draws and digs the ground, sows the seed and having obtained corn etc. makes the spring and other seasons full of happiness, in the same manner, God makes all seasons’ givers of happiness to all souls according their sap.
16. As kinsmen always nourish and gladden their relatives, in the same manner, these waters going up and down cause happiness to all beings like friends. Without them, it is not possible for any living or non-living (inanimate) object to grow. Therefore, they should be properly utilized by all.
17. The water which goes towards the sun being penetrated by the rays of the sun and made subtle, comes down in the form of the rain and when utilized scientifically and methodically in various conveyances or vehicles, increases happiness.
18. The rays of the sun penetrate all waters and draw all around the waters. Then they get earth and herbs. Wise men should use some water for drinking, bathing and activities connected with arts and industries and thus should enjoy happiness.
19. O men, having known the attributes of the waters which contain disease-destroying powers and which contain in themselves the medicinal herbs, use them for the removal of diseases the medicinal herbs, use them for the removal of diseases and the accomplishment of arts, crafts and industries.
20. Soma (Moon the king of all herbs or the Soma-moon creeper) denotes to me that within the waters dwell all balms that heal. The waters contain all healing herbs. The Agni particularly in the form of electricity is also the benefactor of the Universe.
21. Without the Pranas, it is not possible for any living being or even trees etc. to maintain their existence. Therefore, the best medicine or healing balm for the removal of hunger, thirst and all diseases are to use the Prana properly and methodically.
22. Whatever good or evil, merit or sin is done by people, they get the fruit of the same under the dispensation of God's Justice.
23. All beings get the fruit of their actions through air, water, fire and other elements in previous as well as in the present life.
24. God and enlightened seers and men know that the fire in the form of electricity confers upon me vigor, progeny and life. They also know that the good or bad actions done by me are the cause of my birth. Therefore, I should always keep company with such enlightened persons and have communion with God.