Rta and Spiritual Authority
Rta (Divine Will) is the cosmic truth, and is hence, also called 'Satya'. Another synonym is 'Jyoti' (Light.) It is how behavior should be. When humans behave in accord with the Rta, they've behaved in harmony with the universal laws which the Rta is a collection of. Spiritual authority originated from the purest souls on Earth that were in harmony with Rta.
| O Krishna, I totally accept everything You have told me as the Truth (Ritam.) O Lord, neither Devas nor the Danavas can understand Your true personality. | ||
—Bhagavad Gita 10.14 | ||
Sanskrit scholar Maurice Bloomfield writes, "The high thought of the rta is in many ways similar of the Confucian idea of order, harmony and absence of disturbance. It is unquestionably the best conception that has been elaborated by the Aryans."
The Atharva Veda reads that dharma upholds the world[1], but more specifically it is people by virtuous behavior that uphold dharma, which in turns upholds Rta, and the Rta being fulfilled upholds the universe. So in fulling the eternal principle, one fulfills the eternal order (Rta.) In order words, fulfilling spiritual duty means to uphold the Divine Will.
Origin[edit]
| FROM Fervour kindled to its height Eternal Law (Rta) and Truth (Satya) were born:
|
||
—Rig Veda 10.190.1 [2] | ||
When a human performs tapas, it's penance, and when a monk specifically executes it, the penance is in the form of austerities. The "tapas" in question from the verse that was performed to create of the universe (i.e., by Brahm) seems a mystery. The act of creation from the Brahm could be understood as tapas, since it is work done by It, and anything the Creator does is honourable by default. Some interpreters have even termed the verse's penance done by Brahm as "divine tapas."
Achieving spiritual authority[edit]
Devas[edit]
| We traverse the abode of Rta. The Supreme Divinity of the devas is One. | ||
—Rig Veda 1.150.10 [3] | ||
| Knowing the abode of Rta I wander about. The godhead of the deities is One. | ||
—Rig Veda 3.15.14 [4] | ||
Bloomfield also states, "As far as the Veda is concerned, it presents itself under the threefold aspects of cosmic order, correct and patting cult of the gods, and moral conduct of man. We have in connection with the rta a pretty complete system of Ethics, a kind of Counsel of Perfection." For upholding that 'Counsel', a Divine Council (Trayastrimsati Deva Sabha) was created. Arya dharmas reference this Divine Council in regards to authority.
To obtain spiritual authority to counsel society, persons had to perform austerities, such as becoming mendicants and living not only an ethical life but a selfless one. Like how Bauddh buddhas became Tathagatas, Jain jinas become Tirthankars, and Sikh gurus became Satgurus, so too did these 33 attain the status of devas. The Rig Veda[5] states that Devas follow the ordinances of Rta. Agni was called the epithet 'Rtavan' and Varuna 'Rtasyagopa'. The process of finding 'the divine light' (i.e., truth, which Rta is) was ascribed to devas but also to seers that lived while “sitting down in attendance upon asceticism (tapas) and consecration (diksha.)”
Gods are described as 'Ṛtapa' (Protectors of Ṛta), 'Ṛtasyagopa' (Guardians of the home/essence of Ṛta), 'Ṛtāvan' (Possessors or followers of Ṛta), and 'Ṛtāvṛdh' (Increasers/fosters of Ṛta.) Although all Devas must be in conformity with Rta, the Adityas are associated more with Rta than the others.[6], in particularly Mitra and Varuna[7]. Varuna is the Aditya most closely affiliated with it, like its primary custodian.[8] Agni is associated with Rta too, both as its guardian and as the purohit and ritual messenger who executes the sacrifice in alignment with Ṛta.
Rishis[edit]
Devas, along with other mendicants who became recognized as Saptarishis (7 Rishis) were the first official institution of the Sanatan Dharm.
A 'rishi' is a seer, someone who has reached the status of a sage through austerities and learning spirituality. They were called 'mantra-drashta' (someone who can visualize the mantras.) The connection of rishis to Rta is definitely attested in the most ancient scriptures. The Rig Veda reads, rishis prayed, “Lead us [O Indra] on the path of Rta, on the right path over all evils.”[9] There are 3 kinds of rishis; brahmrishis (at highest stage of performing austerities), rajarishis (royals who’ve become mendicants and performed some austerities), and ordinary rishis. The rishi, being a seer who is acting in conformity with Rta, is also known as satya darshin.
Consecration or ordaining a mendicant as a brahmarishi or rajarishi occurred in the past sometimes, such as in the case of Vishwamitra becoming a rajarishi by Shiva of the Divine Council.
From having this spiritual authority, one has true priesthood authority, being the the ideal person just like a mendicant who has burnt off much karmas but on a higher level [especially if they have already achieved Nirvana.]
Succession and priesthood[edit]
| I adore the flame who is in the Purohit, the divine Ritvik of the Sacrifice, the Hotr who founds the ecstasy. | ||
—Rig Veda 1.1.1 [10] | ||
In the Rig Veda, the designation 'ritvij' and 'ritvik' is used before 'Brāhman' is, and it is so important that the very 1st verse in the scripture is about Agni the Dev on the Divine Council being a ritvij. A Purohit is said to perform the Divine Will.[1] It means a sacrificial officiant or priest who conducts a yajna in accordance with the Rta. The most common one was the Soma Yajna. (The person hiring the ritvij is a 'yajaman'.)
Succeeding members of the Divine Council and succeeding rishis weren't many times as pious, and even became corrupted, but none of them are worshiped or held in high esteem, only the original persons. Most Hindus of the Indian Subcontinent claim to be a member of a pravara rishi gotra, meaning lineage from the original Saptarishis. The descendants don't hold the title or being 'rishis' because the definition is based on spiritual performance, but anyone (even persons not descended from rishis) can ascend to the level of a rishi by works. So even though someone may claim to have spiritual authority (i.e., through lineage, caste, etc), it wouldn’t be legitimate. Persons can ascend to achieve spiritual authority by performing austerities.
- Classification of priests
Pāṇini classes priests into four classes, according to the four Vedas, and then further describes priests subordinate to them within the yajna.
| Ritvij Class | Position | Description | Function | Associated Veda |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brahmā (Brahman [not 'Brāhman']) | Supervisor | The chief, and their subordinate priests are Brahmanachhansi, Agnidhra, and Gravastuta | Overall Supervision / Quality Control: Intellectual anchor and monitor—corrects any mispronunciations or ritual errors with expiatory rites |
Atharva Veda |
| Adhvaryu | Executor | The active operator, and their subordinate priests are Pratiprasthata, Nestha, and Unneta | Physical Execution & Altar Building: •Measures land, •constructs fire altars, •prepares utensils, •and performs the physical oblations while muttering prose formulas His practical precision is vital for the continuous flow of the ceremony |
Yajur Veda |
| Hotā (Hotr) | Vocal Invoker | The chanter of invocations, and their subordinate priests are Maitra Varuna, Achchhavak, and Pota | Invocation & Mantra Recitation: Invoking and summoning the deities to the ritual site through the recitation of foundational verses from the Rigveda. His structured litanies praise the gods to accept the offerings |
Sama Veda |
| Udgātā (Udgātr) | Liturgical Cantor | The melodic chanter, and their subordinate priests are Prastota, Pratiharta, and Subrahmanya | Melodic Chanting: Sets mantras to intricate vocalizations (sāman) to please and soothe the deities—provides an essential musical and liturgical dimension to the sacrifice |
Rig Veda |
Rta in different dharms[edit]
The Mazdaen word for Rta is Asha, and just as Agni is called Rtavan, so too is Zarathustra called 'Ashavan'.
The Sikh term is 'Hukam'. In Sukhmani, Guru Arjan Dev writes that it is the invisible sustaining principle of the universe, and that The Creator of the universe creates and destroys everything through Hukam.[11] To add, the ultimate abode (Heaven) of all creation is Hukam.
Highest spiritual authority[edit]
Whereas humans deified to be on the ancient Divine Council had spiritual authority, Brahm (God Almighty) is Itself spiritual authority, and so humans born (i.e., Krishna, Rishabh Tirthankar, Dipankar Tathagata) that provided spiritual wisdom are seen as the ultimate lawgivers whose words are considered Brahm-shabd ("word of God") or shruti ("heard".) These 2 terms as well as apta-vachan ("divine revelation"), nigama ("revelation".)
Rta-affiliated terms[edit]
- Amrta - immortal[12]
- Anrta - that which is inconsistent with the cosmic order
- Aramkrta - purified or purification
- Arta - absence of lack of qualities inherent in the cosmic order
- Rtajat - true birth
- Rtambara - application of Rta to the worshipper's life
- Rtasprshia - pertaining to or touching Rta
- Rtavak - true speech
- Rtavam - possessed of Rta
- Rtavasu - one who is invested in or living in harmony with Rta
- Rtavrdhau - increasing Rta
- Rtaya - maintaining the dynamic divine order
- Rtayu - observance of Rta
- Rtena - according to the eternal aspect of the cosmic order, pursuant to the sequential order of the material world
- Rtu - the regular sequencing of the temporal world
- Rtuna - temporal sequence of the manifest world
- Rtutha - Rta being carried out
Related articles[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Atharva Veda 12.1.17
- ↑ "ṛtaṃ ca satyaṃ cābhīddhāt tapasoadhyajāyata | / tatorātryajāyata tataḥ samudro arṇavaḥ ||"; Rig Veda 10.190.1
- ↑ "Rtasya sadma vicarami devan mahad devanamasuratvamekam"; P. 344 Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture: Volume 20 By Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture
- ↑ P. 344 Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture: Volume 20 By Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture
- ↑ Rig Veda 1.65.2
- ↑ Rig Veda 7.66.13
- ↑ Rig Veda 5.65.2
- ↑ Rig Veda 1.25.1 & 7.83.9
- ↑ Rig Veda 10.133.6
- ↑ "agnimīḷe purohitaṃ yajñasya devamṛtvijam hotāraṃ ratnadhātamam'"; "Hymn I. Agni."
- ↑ P. 75 Studies in Sikhism: Its Institutions and Its Scripture in Global Context By Guranāma Kaura
- ↑ The Vedic Dharma: Explorations in the Vedic Natural Order (Rta) By James Kalomiris