Rig Veda
The subject matter of the first verse of the Rig Veda is God, the sublime and all-existent field of Energy that permeates and pervades everything. The understanding of the overarching connectedness of every object of creation (animate, inanimate, seen, unseen, known, unknown etc) is the force of energy – which Science has outlined that energy is never destroyed. The God-force exists in all.
This first verse focuses on the unique singular force (God) that pervades everything. The verse expresses homage to the all-pervading force and acknowledges God as the giver of light (of wisdom) and the giver of everything in the world.
The last verse of the Rig Veda addresses a unique concept. It takes the entire humanity – every person, every class, race, culture – and behoves them to unify (as with the singular unity of One God), to one people with a common purpose, common worship and common goals. This verse presents the universal desire for the entire world to share one God-concept.
Rig Veda 1.1.1
अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवमृत्विजम् ।
होतारं रत्नधातमम् ॥
Agnim-eeḍe purohitam
yajyasya devam ritvijam.
Hotaaram ratna dhaatamam.
Agnimeede1 I admire and adore that force of energy which purohitam2 existed even before this cycle of creation. The hotaaram3, the One who, within Himself hosts/produces the yajyasya creative power that devam enlightens all and is the light of the world. That ratnadhaatamam4 sustainer of the cosmic gems like the planets is always ritvijam worthy of our worship.
अग्निम् Supreme, energy, fire, heat, combustion, power ईळे adore, praise पुरोहितम् existed even before this cycle of creation, leader यज्ञस्य creative power, honour and good deeds देवम् enlightens, light of world ऋत्विजम् creator, One worthy of worship through all time होतारम् giver and receiver, originator, one who hosts everything by own energy रत्नधातमम् sustainer of everything precious, especially important to the cycle of creation.
Rig Veda 10.121.4
सामानो मंत्रः समितिः समानी समानं मनः सह चित्तमेषाम् ।
समानं मन्त्रमभिमन्त्रयेवाः समानेन वो हविषा जुहोमि ॥
Samaano mantrah samitih samaanee
samaanam manah saha chittam-eṣhaam.
Samaanam mantra-abhi-mantra-ye-vaah
samaanena vo haviṣhaa juhomi.3
Adopt logic and reasoning equally for all, and treat everyone equally in your deliberations. Let your intent, assembly, counsel, laws and worship be together with everyone and for equal rights for all. Respect and adopt everyone’s rights and freedom.
सामानो common, alike, similar approach, similar thinking/logic towards मंत्रः sacred hymn, counsel, deliberation समितिः assembly, society, likeness समानी common, alike, also uniform, universal, all समानम् common, alike, also uniform, universal, all मनः mind/with mind सह with, together चित्तम् intent, content of mind एषः this, wish, divine, option समानम् common, alike, also uniform, universal, all मन्त्र mantra, counsel, deliberation अभि toward, on मन्त्रये discuss, decide व you समानेन like, identically वो you हविषा prayer and worship जुहोमि adopt, embrace, offer
NOTE: The final mantra of the Rig Veda is the final mantra of the last sukta known as the sangatan sukta which sets out the ideals of a unified world with world peace as the goal.
- Agni is the first subject of the Rig Veda. The first section (Sukta 1) of the Rig Veda addresses this Agni and is referred to as the Agni Suktam which starts with the mantra agnim eede putohitam and ends with sa nah piteva soonave. The agni suktam contains 9 verses.
- Most translators infer purohitam as the performer of yajya (yajyasya). However, philosophically set within its context, purohitam infers that which is in front – or at the forefront.
- Hotaaram also refers to the originator of all (one who originates the yajya)
- Ratnadhaatamam also refers to the giver/owner of all wealth/precious things. Ratna – wealth (physical, mental and spiritual wealth)