History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c71.s1.14

v5.c71.s1.14

*Ṛta* and *satya* were distinguished in several passages of the Ṛgveda For example, Ṛg. V. 51 2 speaks of the Viśve Devas as 'ṛtadhītayaḥ' (whose thoughts were fixed on ṛta) and 'satyadharmānaḥ' (whose characteristic is truth or whose dharmas are true). In Ṛg. IX 113.4 ṛta and satya both occur and appear to mean almost the same thing In Ṛg X. 190 1 ṛta and satya are distinguished as having sprung from '*tapas*'. Ṛta involves a wider conception and satya had originally a restricted meaning (viz truth or static order). The word anṛta, however, is the opposite of both ṛta and satya as may be seen from Ṛg X. 10.4, Ṛg VII. 49.3 (Varuṇa who marks the *satya* and *anṛta* of people), Ṛg. X. 124.5 (Varuṇa who separates anṛta by means of *ṛta*). Gradually, however, the word *ṛta* receded into the back-ground and *satya* took its place even in Vedic literature, though here and there (as in Tai. Up. II 1 and I.9.1) both *ṛta* and *satya* are found in juxtaposition.