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Ṛta is the Vedic word for the order that holds the world together. Britannica’s entry gives its plain meaning:
Ṛta means “truth” or “order”, the cosmic order of the Vedas.
rita, Sanskrit ṛta (“truth” or “order”), in Indian religion and philosophy, the cosmic order mentioned in the Vedas, the ancient sacred scriptures of India.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, "rita", Britannica Scholars, https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/rita/99246, © Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. (short excerpt for review and study)
In the same entry, ṛta covers three things at once: the physical order of the universe, the order of the sacrifice, and the moral law. Because of it, the sun and moon keep their daily paths and the seasons turn in regular sequence. Britannica adds that the later Hindu doctrines of dharma and karma grew out of this older idea, and that breaking the order (anṛta), even by accident, counted as sin and needed expiation.
Varuna and Mitra, the guardians
Varuna upholds cosmic and moral law, a duty he shares with the Adityas.
He is the ruler of the sky realm and the upholder of cosmic and moral law (rita), a duty shared with the group of gods known as the Adityas (see Aditi), of whom he was the chief.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, rev. Charles Preston, "Varuna", Encyclopaedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Varuna, © Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. (short excerpt for review and study)
In Britannica’s account, Varuna is the god-sovereign of the Vedic era and is often invoked together with Mitra. Mitra stands for friendship, integrity and harmony, the guardian of the human order beside Varuna’s cosmic one, and as spirit of the day he sometimes takes on solar traits. In later Hinduism Varuna’s role shrinks, and he becomes guardian of the west and lord of the oceans and waters, riding a crocodile, the makara. More on him is at https://drumsofatlantis.com/varuna.
Ṛta in the hymns
Ṛta is also frequently used in reference to various Vedic deities. Thus, Bṛhaspati is referred to as possessing a powerful bow with “Ṛta as its string” and as one prepared to “mount the chariot of Ṛta”; Agni is described as one who is “desirous of Ṛta”, one who is “Ṛta-minded” and as he who “spread Heaven and Earth by Ṛta”; the Maruts are referred to as “rejoicing in the house of Ṛta” and as “knowers of Ṛta”; Ushas is described as having been “placed at the root of Ṛta”; Varuna is praised as “having the form of Ṛta” and, along with Mitra as Mitra-Varuna, as “destroying the foes by Ṛta” and as “professing Ṛta by Ṛta”. Epithets such as “born of Ṛta” and “protector of Ṛta” are frequently applied to numerous divinities, as well as to the sacrificial fire and the sacrifice itself.
Ralph T. H. Griffith’s translation of the Rigveda (1896, public domain, via sacred-texts.com) renders ṛta as “eternal Law” and “holy Law”, as in Rigveda 4.23.8 to 10.
Order beyond India
The old page set ṛta beside a long table of similar ideas from other religions. Britannica draws the closest of these links in Iran: it calls Mithra the Iranian counterpart of Mitra, and says Varuna corresponds closely to the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazdā, the subject of https://drumsofatlantis.com/ahura-mazda.
