Indian Philosophy v1.c8.s7.3

v1.c8.s7.3

Ṛta furnishes us with a standard of morality. It is the universal essence of things. It is the satya or the truth of things. Disorder or An-Ṛta is falsehood, the opposite of truth.¹ The good are those who follow the path of Ṛta, the true and the ordered. Ordered conduct is called a true vrata. Vratāni are the ways of life of good men who follow the path of Ṛta.² Consistency is the central feature of a good life. The good man of the Vedas does not alter his ways. Varuṇa, the perfect example of the follower of Ṛta, is a dhṛtavrata, of unalterable ways. When ritual grew in importance, Ṛta became a synonym for yajña or sacrificial ceremony.