Brahman and Ritam

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

>   According to H.H. Wilson's version of the
> R^igVeda, in the Editor's Note written by
> Dayanand Bhargava, regarding R^ita:
>
>   ". . . the English word 'right' has been
> derived;

right meaning "correct" as well law (as in human rights.)  Not to mention
rite as in religious ritual.

And it hasn't been derived from Sanskrit.  Both English and Sanskrit
derive from some proto-Indo-European language.

> Only that worship is true which is offered with
> the observance of R^ita, satya, shraddhaa and
> tapas. It is through the path of R^ita that one
> can pass beyond calamities.

In this case rta just means correct.  This just means worship should be
offered according to the correct methods.  (And "correct method" is what
rta means in Gujarati today.  Probably other modern languages too.)

>   Next to R^ita, and closely connected with it,
> is the conception of satyam. . . . satya in the
> Vedas is connected with 'sat' i.e. Ultimate
> Reality."

Putting the ultimate there is stretching it.  There is little reaon to
connect rta with Brahman on such flimsy evidence.

Foreigners and foreign translations distort meanings.  It's best to avoid
them.

--
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>