 Vedic and its Avestan equivalent "" both derive from Proto-Indo-Iranian "*Hr̥tás" "truth", which in turn continues Proto-Indo-European "*" "properly joined, right, true", from a presumed root "*".The derivative noun "ṛta" is defined as "fixed or settled order, rule, divine law or truth".As Mahony (1998) notes the term can be translated as "that which has moved in a fitting manner".