RITA OR APPARENT TRUTH

Vipin Kumar & Radha Gupta

J-178, HIG Colony, Indore ? 452011(India)

ABSTRACT

Rita and ritam words have been used in Rigveda quite often.According to the information given by Dr. G.N.Bhat in his book ?Vedic Nighantu?, the word ritam and its forms(including compounds) occurs in Rigveda in 572 places. Sayana interprets the word ritam as water(because the word has been classified under synonyms for water ). The word ritasya yonih occurs in Rigveda at 8 places and has been interpreted as birth place of water. In two hundred places the word is used in the sense of truth, including those which are used as adjectives (because the word is listed in  satyanamani). In some places it is used in the sense of yajna/sacrifice. Moreover, Nighantu classifies the word ritam under synonyms for wealth also and nowhere has been assigned this sense in his interpretations by Sayana. Ritah word occurs under synonyms for pada or stages. The authority of vedic words Yaska says in his book Nirukta that the word ritam is a synonym of water, because it pervades everything. This just indicates what confusion prevailed even at earlier times about the actual meaning of words rita and ritam.

At present also, there is confusion about what is rita and what is satya/truth. There are some references in vedic texts which differentiate between non-truth/anrita, half- truth/rita, and truth/satyam. These have been given the shape of a tree whose root is anrita, stem or unripe fruits  are rita and    ripe fruits are satya. This simile is well known in astrological literature and it?s meaning has been clarified by the websites attributed to an old astrologer Steiner. According to him, the unripe and ripe fruits pertain to different stages of consciousness. Different planets take the consciousness to a particular level. Jupiter or Brihaspati takes to the highest level. The root has perhaps been attributed to Saturn. So, on one side, ritam is connected to the root or anrita, which can be called those forces which sustain our basic structure. On the other side, rita is connected to truth. It seems that rita word may be the origin of word rhythm in English language.

The present study collects specific references to rita and its compound forms in puraanic and vedic literature and comments on these to the extent possible.

REFERENCE

G.N.Bhat

Vedic Nighantu

(Mangalore University, Konaje - 574199, ) price 125/->

PURANIC CONTEXTS AND COMMENTS

For quotations on RITA from vedic texts, click here

For quotations on RITA from vedic texts(Contiuned), click here

For vedic and puranic comments on NAHUSHA, click here

For vedic comments on HARI, click here

For puranic comments on HARI, click here

For information on RISHI & CHHANDA,click here

For comments on CAUSE & EFFECT, click here

For comments on RITU, click here

For comments on RIGVEDA, click here

For information on RISHI, click here

For information on RICHEEK, click here

For information on RINA or debt, click here

For information on RITA, click here

For information on RIBHU, click here

For complete vedic quotations and information on OSHADHI or herbs, click here

For information on OSHADHI or herbs, click here

For PURAANIC INDEX from Y, click here

For words earlier than uu, puraanic contexts and comments can be seen in the published books

1.Purana Vishay Anukramanika(a to e)

By Vipin Kumar and Radha Gupta,

(Radha Gupta, J-178, HIG Colony, Indore(M.P.), 452011, India)

2.Purana Vishay Anukramanika(ee to u)

Vipin Kumar and Radha Gupta

(Parimal Publications, 27-28, Shakti Nagar, Delhi ? 110007, India)

3. Puranic Subject Index ( from a to m)

without comments

(Parimal Publications, Delhi) under print.