Rigveda – Mandala 1, Sukta – 31

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 -
Sukta 31 prescribes the duties of the king or heads. They should always preserve and guard all lawful people. As a father protects, maintains, educates and gives necessary wealth to his children, in the same manner, a king should protect all his subjects and by proper and just distribution of wealth, according to their actions should reward and punish the people under him.
God establishes those persons in Dharma (righteousness) who want to give up un-righteousness and observe the rules of righteousness and protects those who want to wage righteous war and acquire wealth with righteous means. The previous & present birth, the knowledge and the association of Acharya (preceptor) constitute one’s birth. When men sincerely desire to get the true path, then God creates in them love and desire to know the Truth from the association with noble persons.
Those people of benevolent nature who being industrious are engaged in making others happy and performing Yajnas, are like the sun which gives happiness to all by its light.
         
The hymn wise, purported explanations –
 
Mandala 1 – Sukta – 31

1. Those who do not do anything except obeying the Commands of God, discharging their duties and associating with the learned persons acquire friendship with God. As a result of that friendship, there is light of wisdom in their souls. Then being enlightened and engaging themselves in doing noble deeds, they become illustrious by leading all beings to happiness.
2. God adorns (or ordains) the laws of all worlds through the Vedas and a wise man does the same through the teachings of the Vedas to men and by keeping them in just laws. God who has created this world consisting of shining things like the sun and not shining like the earth is all-pervading. It is only those who can reveal the science of God and His creation can become enlightened. None can create this world except the omnipresent God and none can reveal this science to others except a highly learned and wise person.
3. It is the Agni (fire) in the subtlest causal form that takes the form of the sun and dispels darkness and thus upholds the earth and the shining worlds. Being the cause of the Yajna and industries, when used methodically in the machines, it moves the heavy vehicles rapidly.
4. The attainment of God Who has created the sun and other objects of the world and of the wise men who impart true knowledge is possible only through meritorious acts. Good wealth in the form of Vast good Government can also be got only through noble deeds.
5. Men should know well God who is the First cause of the Universe and the properties of the articles that are put in the fire. After knowing them, if they put in the fire substances that purify the air, rain and water, they enjoy much happiness in this world along with others.
6. This is the nature of God that He establishes those persons in Dharma (righteousness) who want to give up un-righteousness and observe the rules of righteousness and protecting those who want to wage righteous war (to remedy injustice and tyranny etc.) and acquire wealth with righteous means. He gives them wealth also according to their actions. He punishes those persons who are unrighteous by giving them the fruit of their actions. He gives victory to those righteous persons even with limited resources, who obey His commands and commence a righteous war and not to others.
7. For the enlightened righteous persons who attain emancipation, God is the only Support. The birth that is past, the further, the present and got from the association of the knowledge and the Acharya (preceptor) that is the fourth. All these four constitute one birth. By second birth in this context is meant the birth in human form that is got after enjoying the bliss of emancipation for a very long period. All souls endeavour for the birth of these two kinds. This order is maintained by God alone.
8. Men should pray in the following manner: - O God, create among us such noble learned persons who are the knowers of all arts and sciences that lead to good wealth, so that we may be able to establish an admirable administration on earth by undertaking new enterprises and taking benefit from all substances.
9. God should be prayed thus- Whenever you grant us birth, grant us the association of enlightened persons and make us full of knowledge of all sciences, so that having acquired all knowledge, we may enjoy happiness.

1. As, the father is worthy of respect and worship for the descendants, similarly the chairman, the king for the subjects.
2. It is not possible to know God and the nature of the vehicles manufactured with the help of the arts and sciences without personal contact in the form of questions and answers with the learned persons of forgiving sweet nature, therefore men should always acquire such knowledge with the assistance of the wise.
3. The king who is the President of the Assembly should always preserve and guard all lawful people with the attributes of protection etc. of God and following Him with all noble virtues.
4. As students acquire knowledge from their teachers sincerely, in the same manner, O king, you should also discharge the duties of an administrator in accordance with the instructions of the persons who are true in thought, word and deed.
5. As a father protects, maintains, educates and gives necessary wealth to his children, in the same manner, a king should protect all his subjects and by proper and just distribution of wealth, according to their actions should reward and punish the people under him.
6. Those people of benevolent nature who being industrious are engaged in making others happy and performing Yajnas, are like the sun which gives happiness to all by its light. As the armour protects the fighting heroes from the onslaughts of the weapons, so the king and officers of the state should shield all righteous persons from all miseries.
7. When men sincerely desire to get the true path, then God creates in them love and desire to know the Truth from the association with noble persons. Then they being full of faith, having approached truly learned and truthful Yogis, acquire true knowledge and become righteous.
8. The President of the Assembly, when served by men with the acquisition of knowledge, the observance of the Dharma (rules of righteousness) and with love, urges upon them to discharge their duties properly.
9. Those persons who act righteously according to the Vedic teachings, become wise, intelligent and righteous. The righteous, good learned person whom they serve, makes them full of good knowledge and power.