What is ṛtam (ऋतम्) in the Rig Veda?

 Many writers had  explained about Rtam (ऋतम्) in different ways.

• Ṛta is the state of cosmic flow. 
• It is dynamic, it evolves, it reveals and it is always progressing.
• What is “natural” is Ṛta.  
• Ṛta is best understood pairing with Satya (TRUTH).

I am sharing my understanding.

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The composers of the Rig Veda are rishis and the most part of the Rig Veda had been composed in an esoteric manner and ONLY persons with spiritual bent of mind and with high intuition levels like Shri Aurobindo can understand the real meaning of the Rig Veda.

Hence, Rig Veda is only for those who seriously trying to undergo spiritual practices, but not for some researchers or those who cannot think/go beyond scratching the surface.

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Whatever may be the divinity that the Rik of any mandala is praising, ie., Indra, Varuna, Agni, Saraswati, etc, one can observe that one word constantly appears in Rig Veda is Rtam.

The rishis of RIG VEDA clearly mentioned that Soma - a divine experience or SELF REALISATION or Jnana, can be experienced by only those who pursue the Rtam.

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Rig Veda 9.3.3

एष देवो विपन्युभिः पवमान ऋतायुभिः।

हरिर्वाजाय मृज्यते॥

This god, the tawny one, purifying himself, is groomed for the prize by the admiring (poets), who pursue the Rtam.

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As I mentioned earlier, the Rig Veda should be understood only in esoteric manner, as it was the style of the rishis, to communicate their experiences.

Consider the following Rik.

Rishi vasiṣṭha addressed this Rik to Adityas.

Rig Veda 7.66.13

ऋतावान ऋतजाता ऋतावृधो घोरासो अनृतद्विषः । तेषां वः सुम्ने सुच्छर्दिष्टमे नरः स्याम ये च सूरयः ॥

ṛtāvāna ṛtajātā ṛtāvṛdho ghorāso anṛtadviṣaḥ | teṣāṃ vaḥ sumne succhardiṣṭame naraḥ syāma ye ca sūrayaḥ ||

English translation:

(Adityas - VaruNa, Mitra and Aryaman) possessing the ṛta, born of the ṛta, and strengthening through the ṛta, terrible, haters of the false,—might we be in the most protective favour of you, o men, and might also our patrons

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Please note the word ऋतजाता - ṛtajātā, - born of the ṛta.

The rishi was stating that the Adityas were born from the ṛta.

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We have to remember that Adityas means the children of aditi.

Now, who is aditi?

aditi means “undivided”,'unbounded', 'the boundless Heaven', or according to others, 'the visible infinite’ - the female energy of brAhman.

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ऋतजाता - ṛtajātā, - born of the ṛta indicates the children of aditi.

Hence, the esoteric meaning of ṛta is aditi.