इयते त्वा क्षत्राय महते क्षेत्राय महते जनराज्याय.
iyate tvā kṣatrāya mahate kṣetrāya mahate janarājyāya.
Study Guide on Yajurveda Adhyāya 1, Section 24
Act 1
Act I: Consecration for Power and Order
Verses 1, 2
अध राज्ञो वरुणस्य व्रतमसि.
adha rājño varuṇasya vratamasi.
📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context
These opening verses set the stage for ritual purification by elevating a simple physical tool into a cosmic instrument. The consecration targets four essential pillars of harmonious living: individual energy (kshatra), territorial integrity (kshetra), social sovereignty (janarajya), and divine moral law (vrata).
💭 Flowing Translation
Verse 1: For the great protection, domain, and rule, you are consecrated.
Verse 2: You embody the sacred ordinance of Varuṇa.
📝 Scholar's Reading Note
Sāyaṇa interprets these primarily through the ritualistic lens of preparing the sphya, while spiritual commentators see them as the purification of human faculties for higher divine work.
📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown
Verse 1
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| क्षत्राय | kṣatrāya | for royal power or energy |
| क्षेत्राय | kṣetrāya | for the field or domain |
Verse 2
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| व्रतम् | vratam | divine ordinance or vow |
| वरुणस्य | varuṇasya | of Varuṇa (lord of cosmic order) |
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Memory Hook
Remember that every tool of action in life is a vessel for upholding cosmic and social righteousness (Vrata of Varuna).