Rigveda – Mandala 1, Sukta – 43 & 44

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 –
God has revealed all sciences through the Vedas. Likewise, learned persons disperse knowledge, justice and give delight. The man of the most charming good temperament and good habits and the sustainer of all. They should also take the help of learned persons and should make proper use of the Pranas and exertion. None can acquire knowledge and wealth (of all kinds) without the Grace of God, the help of the President of the Assembly and his own exertion.
 
Learned persons well-versed in all sciences, should always do a noble meritorious act. Such learned person is like fire in assemblies and on the occasion of the fulfilment of noble desires; who is also like the fire among the non-violent Yajnas from Agnihotra to Ashwa Medha or consisting of Yoga, Shilpa (Industries) Upasana (communion with God) and knowledge, bearing the glory of the Yajnas of inviolable various kinds and fire-bannered spreader of the light. Men should honour such learned guests as are righteous, respected by all learned persons, of cheerful disposition and benevolent.
A learned person should not waste even a single moment. He should know all days to be full of the noblest deeds. Knowing the days as such, he should be the protector of the people and performer of the Yajnas (non-violent noble sacrifices). It is not possible to perform a Yajna (non-violent sacrifice and philanthropic work) without the help of a learned person and suitable articles. Three things are derived from root word Yajna - honouring the learned, association with the enlightened people and charity.
The hymn wise, purported explanations –
 
Mandala 1 – Sukta – 43

1. God is called Rudra as being Omniscient Dispenser of Justice. By Rudra three meanings are taken. (1) God, (2) Soul & (3) Vayu or air. He makes the wicked weep by giving the fruits of their evil actions. (2) The soul is called Rudra as it weeps when it leaves the body at the time of death and gets the result of evil actions. (3) Vayu or air is called Rudra as it makes a person weep causing pain as a result of bad deeds.
2. As there is no happiness to children without parents, no happiness to the cattle without a cowherd, and the people without the king's assembly, in the same manner, none can enjoy happiness without knowledge and exertion.
3. As learned persons should give true knowledge to all having friendship with them, good character and conduct, as God has revealed all sciences through the Vedas, in the same manner, teachers also should endow all with knowledge.
4. None can attain knowledge, worldly happiness and the joy of emancipation without the help of a learned person who gives us the knowledge of God's praise and the herbs that destroy misery (caused by diseases) and the teaching of Pranayama that alleviates our suffering.
5. As God is the Light of lights, full of perfect Bliss, the Best of all the Devas (shining objects and the enlightened) and the Support of the earth and other worlds, in the same manner, the President of the Assembly or the Commander-in-chief of the army should be a person who is most brilliant like the sun and the gold, the best dispenser of justice, the giver of delight and bliss, the man of the most charming good temperament and good habits and the sustainer of all.

1. Men should pray to God for the happiness and health of their own and other men and animals. They should also take the help of learned persons and should make proper use of the Pranas and exertion.
2. None can acquire knowledge and wealth (of all kinds) without the Grace of God, the help of the President of the Assembly and his own exertion.
3. Men should administer a truthful and just State, conquering all enemies with the help of admirable force and strength.
4. When people take shelter in God who is un-paralleled and the President of the Assembly who is devoted to Him, they do not suffer at all. As God desires men of noble character and conduct and the President of the Assembly also does the same, in the same manner, all subjects should always desire God and the President of the Assembly. Without this sort of desire, real and vast happiness cannot be attained.

Mandala 1 – Sukta – 44

1. Men should exert themselves and achieve all prosperity for obeying the command of God and by taking shelter in Him and noble learned persons. Learned persons well-versed in all sciences, should always do a noble meritorious act. They should never do an ignoble, wicked deed.
2. O God, you are well-loved messenger, Destroyer of the wicked, Sustainer of the world and Charioteer of the noble nonviolent deed, accordant with the sun and the moon and the dawn or Prana, Apana and the Dawn of the Divine Illumination, grant us heroic strength and lofty fame.
3. Men should accomplish all works having appointed a learned person well-versed in the Vedic lore as a messenger or ambassador, for the attainment of knowledge, kingdom and happiness. Such learned person is like fire in assemblies and on the occasion of the fulfilment of noble desires; who is also like the fire among the non-violent Yajnas from Agnihotra to Ashwa Medha or consisting of Yoga, Shilpa (Industries) Upasana (communion with God) and knowledge, bearing the glory of the Yajnas of inviolable various kinds and fire-bannered spreader of the light.
4. Men should honour such learned guests as are righteous, respected by all learned persons, of cheerful disposition and benevolent.
5. Learned persons should never glorify and take shelter in any one as God except the Lord who is the Preserver of the world, the Giver of emancipation, Giver of Knowledge, fulfiller of noble desires and bliss and worthy of worship or adoration.
6. A learned person should be honored and respected on account of his sublime virtues. Thus, taking shelter in him and his guidance, all should acquire knowledge and long life.
7. It is not possible to bring about the happiness of the subjects, the attainment of divine virtues without much effort and victory over the enemies. Therefore, all should accomplish it with great endeavour.
8. Men should properly use the light of the sun, electricity, and water etc. in all works and accomplish acts that purify the air and the rain and develop industries. None can accomplish all these things without the association of the learned persons as he cannot know the attributes of these things without acquiring knowledge from them.
9. The President of the assembly, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army and other learned persons should always manifest divine virtues among the people for the protection of knowledge, the preservation of the subjects and other Yajnas.
10. A learned person should not waste even a single moment. He should know all days to be full of the noblest deeds. Knowing the days as such, he should be the protector of the people and performer of the Yajnas (non-violent noble sacrifices).
11. It is not possible to perform a Yajna (non-violent sacrifice and philanthropic work) without the help of a learned person and suitable articles. Three things are derived from root word Yajna - honouring the learned, association with the enlightened people and charity.
12. O men, God is the Adorable Friend of all, well-wisher High Priest of all men and their innermost Spirit, knows like a messenger the good or bad acts of all souls, whose unlimited lusters shine forth all around the world. Such a God is the Creator, Sustainer and Nourisher of the universe and its Sovereign Dispenser of Justice. He must be worshipped by all. In the same manner, a noble ambassador or messenger should also be respected by all.
13. Men should appoint righteous persons well-versed in all sciences in the various works of the State. The learned should accomplish all works with the assistance of well-trained attendants. Men should give up all indolence and always be engaged in doing good deeds. Without doing so, it is not possible to accomplish all works whether secular or spiritual.
14. Those commands that are issued by the Dharma Sabha and the Raja Sabha (Religious and Royal assemblies) should be obeyed by all people after listening to them attentively. The members of these assemblies also should give up all prejudice or partiality and should put forth their united efforts in such a way as to bring about the destruction of all ignorance un-righteousness and injustice for the welfare of all beings.