Rigveda – Mandala 1, Sukta – 33

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 –
Only such persons should be in powerful positions who are endowed with knowledge, Dharma (righteousness) justice and courage etc. They should make people happy by upholding all good virtues, by giving up all vices, by duly, punishing the un-righteous persons and by raining wisdom and good education and preaching righteousness day and night. They should also constantly protect and preserve all subjects by subduing all enemies by the use of the army, military education and arms.
The hymn wise, purported explanations –
 
Mandala 1 – Sukta – 33

1. Men should increase the power of their body and soul by obeying the commands of and the communion with that God who causes the growth of our real wealth by dispelling our darkness and augmenting our knowledge. Without His aid, none can attain the fruit of Dharma (righteousness) wealth, fulfilment of noble desires and emancipation).
2. As a hawk reaches its cherished pleasant nest from other places quickly, in the same manner, men should adore God bowing before Him and verifying His glory through the illustration of the solar worlds and other wonderful things. All the created substances in the world ensure the presence of the Creator. Nothing can be created without a creator. As in this world, nothing can be made unless there is a maker, in the same way, we should know about the creation made by God.
3. As a trader arranges to graze and feed his cattle properly and with their milk, his purpose is accomplished well, as the rays of the grand solar world created by God penetrate all the objects of the world like arrows and with the help of the air make them move upward and downward, making them full of sap and gladden all, in the same manner, a king should protect and preserve his subjects.
4. As God is without any enemies or as the sun overcomes all clouds that cover his light, so men should also destroy all thieves and plunderers, protect righteous wealthy persons and should become so popular as to be without any enemies.
5. As the sun gives happiness to all beings by upholding the day, the earth and other worlds and the light, in the same manner, you should establish true Government and make people happy by upholding all good virtues, by giving up all vices, by duly, punishing the un-righteous persons and by raining wisdom and good education and preaching righteousness day and night.
6. Those men who accept as their commander-in-chief a person who is endowed with physical and spiritual power and who is a righteous hero and make their army ideally powerful and the best, when they begin to fight with un-righteous enemies, their foes fly before them.
7. Men should do various acts in connection with a war. The first is to please and feed properly the soldiers of one's own army and the second to diminish the force and zeal of the un-righteous foes. As the sun gives light to all and dispels all darkness, in the same way, a person should manifest all noble virtues and eliminate all evils and defects.
8. As God has endowed the Sun with light, attraction and gravitation etc., He has enjoined upon all to appoint only such persons for ruling as are endowed with knowledge, Dharma (righteousness) justice and brave army etc. It is only they that can rule over men on account of their extra-ordinary ability.
9. As the solar world illuminates the earth and other worlds and upholds them by its power of gravitation, dispelling the darkness of the clouds and the night, in the same manner, O men, you should enjoy the happiness of vast and good Government with the help of the Vedas, and the highly educated persons removing the ignorance of the foolish and teaching good lessons to your opponents.
10. Men should righteously enjoy the happiness of good Government by acting like the sun bearing splendour and light (of wisdom) dispelling the darkness of injustice done by the enemies of the State. There cannot be any stability in the rule of deceitful and cunning people. Therefore, highly educated persons should be prepared to administer the state, being themselves free from deception, but at the same time, removing or displacing the cunningness used by their opponents.
11. As the rain produced by the lightning after the destruction of the Vritra (cloud) causes to grow the barley and other articles of food and the water of the rivers, tanks and oceans, in the same manner, men should rain down or shower all noble virtues on all sides, give happiness to the people, slay their enemies, illuminate or manifest knowledge and other virtues and should always follow Dharma or righteousness.
12. As the lightning gladdens all by striking the clouds and producing water, in the same manner, men should constantly shower or rain down all happiness on people, by teaching wicked persons or punishing them properly and by overcoming enemies by severe punishment and use of powerful weapons.
13. As the lightning with its sharp impetus strikes down the solid cloud and. its parts and makes it fall down on earth, in the same manner, the President of the assembly or the Chief Commander of the army should destroy his enemy with the power of his intellect and body, should cause him to fall down on the ground and if he is alive, should bring him to his side.
14. As the Sun gives happiness to all beings by causing the fall of the cloud with his rays, in the same manner O Commander of the army, you should also constantly protect and preserve all subjects by subduing all enemies by the use of the army, military education and arms.

As the sun gives happiness to all beings by causing the fall of the water of the cloud from the firmament, in the same manner, the commander of the army and other persons should constantly enjoy happiness by captivating and imprisoning wicked enemies and protecting the righteous people.