Tr. Sarasvati by the perception awakens in consciousness the great flood (the vast movement of Ritam) and illumines entirely all the thoughts.
sarasvati Goddess of Speech (subject of the two previous riks) ; ketunā by the perception (action of revelation); maho arṇaḥ the vast flood or sea (that is the vast course of Truth); pracetayati awakens superbly [She awakens and sets amove the flow denoted by the term arņa, the movement of Ritam (Truth) asleep as it were in the consciousness) and also visvaḥ all; dhiyaḥ thoughts; virājati illumines fully.
In this Rik, the term ketunā is explained by Sayana as by act, by Yaska as by act or consciousness. ketu is one of the terms like rta, kratu, Srava, etc. which are keywords for the opening out of the secret of the Veda. Ketu is to be taken everywhere as a natural perception that reveals. In the way of those who take gross meanings, the word ketu also like kratu, vāja, sta, etc. has several meanings. It is not fixed. It is to be noted that the term ketu as fixed in the sense given by us fits in everywhere in the Mantras. According to the gross meaning what is lauded in this Rik is the river Sarasvati. The traditionalists of the ritualist line say that in the two previous Riks it is the goddess of speech embodied in form (that is lauded). It is not necessary to examine what they mean'to say. Whatever is the purport according to them, it attributes, undoubtedly, a poverty of sense to Rishi Madhucchandas, the seer of the Mantra. Taking form at first, she indeed gets transformed into a river! Why this sudden acceptance of a different guise by Sarasvati in the vision of the Rishi? No reason is given. God alone knows the result.
If we understand the true nature of Sarasvati, the first two Riks in this sub-hymn yield unambiguous clear meaning, without doubt. Sarasvati is lauded in the Veda along with Ila and Bharati (who is lauded also as Mahi). An understanding of them will be considered later on while commenting upon the three goddesses "Ila, Sarasvati, Mahi’. A special Power of the Truth-Consciousness urging truth-audition, a divinely inspired Word, is lauded as Sarasvati. Due to the influx of Truth, the falsehood is destroyed. It is an ancient doctrine of the Rishis that falsehood takes the form of all-sided sin, that there is no sin apart from falsehood. It is by the impulsion of falsehood alone that evil and wicked enjoyments, evil will, evil action enter into human life and subdue it. That is how falsehood afflicts us, our entire life from the very birth and all our action--bodily or mental are made over to falsehood and blinded. There is no antidote to it except the Truth. And this Truth says the Perception of the ancient Rishis-descends, enters, and manifests in the form of light or of speech or both. By that is effected the transformation of our intelligence and there is a fresh discrimination in our relations with the world. Truth-intelligence renders the vision Truthfull and by Truthvision shall be effected our Truth-nature. Thereby will flow, effortlessly, naturally, without obstructions, true movements of heart, true willings, and true actions.
Now it will be easy to follow the purport of the sub-hymn.
First is gratified Sarasvati, 'rich in substance by the thoughts', purifying—who effects the purification for the elimination of sin, desirous of sacrifice and full of the plenitude of intelligence. Then she nourishes and upholds the sacrifice which is the form of the surrender of all activities of man, as a result of which all human actions, knowings, words, feelings, would follow in accord with the Truth (impeller to happy truths, awakener to right mentalisings). And at the end the divine She pours, floods, by means of her own revelation, the being of the human sacrificer impelling it with illumination of Truth-Consciousness, “waters” and illumines by the light of Truth all the mental movements (illumines all thoughts). This is the substance.
Thus is the third hymn explained. It is made clear here, especially in the discussion of the fourth sub-hymn, how it confirms and lights up all that was said earlier and shows the relation between the outer action of the Yajamana and the special state of development of his inner being. It is also observed that in this discussion of the glory of revelation and action of Sarasvati who impels the great flooding of Truth-Consciousness in a language symbolic but generally unveiled (maho arṇaḥ)-the secret of the Veda is not concealed in an absolutely unbreakable way but revealed by the Rishi Madhucchandas himself by the use of terms which somewhat reveal the secret. Thus ends the sixth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.
Thus ends the first Section in the first Circle.