Atharva Veda 20.21.2: Kanda 20, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 21, Mantra 2
Sukta 21
दु॒रो अश्व॑स्य दु॒र इ॑न्द्र॒ गोर॑सि दु॒रो यव॑स्य॒ वसु॑न इ॒नस्पतिः॑ । शि॒क्षा॒न॒रः प्र॒दिवो॒ अका॑मकर्शनः॒ सखा॒ सखि॑भ्य॒स्तमि॒दं गृ॑णीमसि
duró áśvasya durá índra góḥ asi duró yávasya vásūnām ínaḥ-pátiḥ | śikṣānáraḥ pradívo ákāmakarṣaṇaḥ sákhā sákhíbhyas tám idáṃ gṛṇīmasi ||
A door of the horse art thou, O Indra, a door of the cow; a door of barley, lord of riches, master of force. Teaching men, from lofty heaven, drawing at will—friend unto friends, thee with this we hymn.
Indra, tum ghode ka darwaza ho, gaye ka darwaza ho, aur jawar ka bhi. Tum dhan ka malik ho. Aasman se logon ko sikhate ho, jo chaho wahi karte ho. Dosto ka dost ho, tumhara yeh gaana gaate hain.
The meaning
What it says
Indra is called the ‘door’ (durāḥ) to horse, cow, and barley—lord of riches and force—who teaches men from heaven, draws at will, and is a friend to friends.
The inner meaning
The ‘door’ is the psychological threshold: access to strength (aśva), nourishment/steadfast value (go), and sustainable livelihood (yava). Indra is the inner capacity that opens these when one learns (śikṣā) and aligns desire with skill.
The truth in it
Prosperity comes through access—right connections, right timing, and disciplined learning; power that is friendly and teachable becomes a gateway rather than a weapon.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika (prosperity/wealth-access)
Its aim
To ‘open the door’ to livestock, grain, and general riches by aligning with Indra as the access-gate and friend
Word by Word
Pada patha
दुरः । अश्वस्य । दुरः । इन्द्र । गोः । असि । दुरः । यवस्य । वसूनाम् । इनः-पतिः । शिक्षानरः । प्रदिवः । अकामकर्शनः । सखा । सखिभ्यः । तम् । इदम् । गृणीमसि ।
- दुरः
- door, gatedoor/gate; figuratively ‘access’ or ‘opening’ to goodsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (वेदिक रूप: दुरः = द्वारम्)Role KarmaRoot दुर् (प्रातिपदिक) / दुरस्
- अश्वस्य
- of the horseof the horse; emblem of wealth, mobility, statusNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive relation)Root अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुरः
- doordoor/gate; repeated for parallel wealth-domainsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot दुर् / दुरस्
- इन्द्र
- O IndraO Indra; vocative, activating the deity’s agencyNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole Sambodhana (address)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- गोरसि
- of the cowNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive relation)Root गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुरः
- doordoor/gate; access to grain/food securityNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot दुर् / दुरस्
- यवस्य
- of barleyof barley; staple grain, prosperity markerNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive relation)Root यव (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसूनाम्
- of the goods/wealthsof riches/goods; plural wealth categoriesNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive relation)Root वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- इनस्पतिः
- lord of strength/impulse (a title)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot इनस्-पति (प्रातिपदिक; तत्पुरुष)
- शिक्षानरः
- instructing men / teacher of meninstructing/teaching men; guiding humans to success (also ‘disciplining’)Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-प्राय: ‘शिक्षन्’ + ‘नर’)Role Kartā (as qualifier of subject)Root शिक्ष् (धातु) → शिक्षानर (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रदिवः
- from the high heaven / of the upper skyfrom lofty heaven; of high celestial origin/powerNoun/Adverbialपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचन (वेदिक: ‘from/ of the fore-heaven’)Role Apādāna (source) / SambandhaRoot प्र-दिव् (प्रातिपदिक) / प्रदिव (अव्यय-प्रायः)
- अकामकर्शनः
- drawing/attracting without (selfish) desiredrawing (us) without resistance/at will; irresistible attractor (of goods/aid)Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (बहुव्रीहि: ‘one who draws without desire’)Role Kartā (as qualifier of subject)Root कृष् (धातु) → कर्शन (कृदन्त) with अ-काम (उपपद)
- सखा
- friendfriend; intimate ally of the patronNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सखिभ्यः
- to/for the friendsto/for friends; benefaction extended to the social circleNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
- तम्
- himhim/that one; Indra as so characterizedPronounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- इदम्
- thisthis; the present hymn/utterancePronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole Karma (object of ‘praise/utter’ as ‘this [hymn]’)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम)
- गृणीमसि
- we praise / we singwe sing/praise; performative laudationVerbलट् (वर्तमान); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole Kriyā (main verb)Root गॄ (धातु; ‘to sing/praise’)
Sandhi Notes
- पाठे ‘दुरो’ इति दृश्यते
- पदच्छेदे वेदिक-रूपे ‘दुरः’ (द्वारम्) इति ग्रहणम्। ‘गोरसि’ = गोः + असि (षष्ठी एकवचन). ‘वसुन’ इति संहितापाठः → ‘वसूनाम्’ (षष्ठी बहुवचन) इति पदरूप-समन्वयः। ‘शिक्षानरः’ तथा ‘अकामकर्शनः’ इति विशेषण-समास/कृदन्त-रूपेण कर्तरि (इनस्पतिः/सखा) विशेषणत्वेन। ‘तमिदं’ = तम् + इदम् (स्वर-संयोगः; संधौ ‘तमिदम्’)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Rigvedic provenance; r̥ṣi per RV source attribution.
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira and Adbhuta
Sāyaṇa reads ‘dur’ as ‘dvāra’—Indra is the access-point through which wealth-categories (horse, cattle, barley, vasu) become obtainable. The repeated ‘dur’ is a ritual-logic of opening channels. ‘Akāmakarṣaṇa’ is taken as ‘yatheccham ākarṣaka’—one who draws/attracts (aid, wealth) irresistibly. ‘Sakhā sakhibhyaḥ’ encodes reciprocal alliance: Indra as friend who benefits the patron’s network.
Unknown (AV 20 RV-derived; ṛṣi follows the underlying RV hymn attribution)
Indra as paustika ‘gate’ deity; formulaic prosperity imagery (livestock + grain) used as domestic-access charm.
Shows how RV praise becomes Atharvanic ‘door-opening’ technology for household economy—cattle, transport, grain, and social alliances.
Indra
Opens pathways for acquisition and movement of wealth; aligns heavenly power with human training and friendship networks.
Supports vitality (aśva-energy) and nutritional stability (go/yava symbolism); indirectly strengthens recovery by ensuring resources.
Guards thresholds—storehouse, herd, granary, and social ‘doors’—against blockage and scarcity.
4×11 (with strong caesura after 4–5 syllables typical in RV triṣṭubh)
AV 20 keeps stotra cadence; ‘door’ anaphora (duro... duro...) adds incantatory punch within RV meter.
Mantric and enumerative; repeated ‘duro’ creates a key-turning effect.
Felt sense of ‘unlocking’ and opening; energizes resolve and social confidence.
The priest recites at the household threshold or cattle-pen entrance, treating the ‘door’ metaphor as a physical locus.
He touches or gestures toward the doorway/pen-gate at each ‘duráḥ’ repetition, ‘opening’ access by speech.
If barley is present, a small quantity is displayed or held as a prosperity token while reciting ‘duró yávasya’.
The rite concludes with a blessing for the patron’s friends/kin (sakhíbhyas), extending prosperity socially.
Kauśika Sūtra: paustika rites for cattle/wealth and ‘opening’ prosperity; Indra hymns used with threshold/door symbolism in domestic performance (exact sūtra mapping varies).
Atharvan as paustika-operator: links mantra to household infrastructure (door/pen) and to wealth tokens (grain, herd).
Recite at the main doorway, granary door, cowshed entrance, or before beginning trade/agricultural work; can accompany opening the storehouse or starting a journey.
Dawn; also on market days, before harvest storage, or before acquiring livestock/vehicle.
Householder recites; in larger settings a purohita may intone for patrons before economic undertakings.
Use as a ‘threshold mantra’ before entering workplace or beginning income-generating tasks.
Horse (aśva); Cow (go); Barley (yava)
The triad aśva–go–yava maps to mobility–sustenance–food security: a complete household economy. Indra as ‘door’ is the enabling condition that lets these circulate.
Resource-security reduces stress load; energizing cadence supports prāṇa and motivation.
Paustika support to ojas via food security (yava) and nourishment (go); vāta stabilization via steadiness and routine.
Financial/food security as a determinant of health; motivational priming through rhythmic affirmation.
Indra; secondarily the household’s ‘doors’ (granary, stall, pasture) by sympathetic identification.
Open access to livestock, grain, and general riches by invoking Indra as the threshold-gate and ally.
Threshold-magic by naming Indra as ‘door’; enumerative listing (horse/cow/barley) as a comprehensive prosperity net; friendship-binding (sakhā) as social magic.
Scarcity, blocked opportunities, loss of allies, failure of supply lines
Cattle/animal wealth, transport power, harvest/grain, general assets
- durāḥ (duraḥ)
- access-point; permission, opportunity, threshold of attainment
- aśva
- mobility, energy, initiative, executive power
- go
- sustenance, wealth-in-flow, dependable value
- yava
- food security, agriculture, steady growth
- vasūnām inaspatiḥ
- governance of resources and capacities
- śikṣā-naraḥ
- skill-transmission; prosperity through learning and training
- akāmakarśanaḥ
- magnetic agency; ability to attract resources lawfully
Threshold-awareness: feel the ‘door’ between intention and action; invite disciplined power that remains friendly.
maṇipūra (agency)
Brisk but controlled recitation; emphasize the repeated ‘duro’ on exhale to ‘open’ inner gates.
Visualize a golden gate opening to a field with cattle and barley; energy (horse) moves smoothly without strain.
Confident, enterprising, relational (power-with, not power-over).
Before work: 3 recitations, then one practical step immediately (a call, plan, or task) to anchor mantra into action.
Differentiate goḥ (gen. of go) from gorasi in continuous recitation by clear syllable breaks.; Inaspatiḥ: keep -sp- cluster crisp.; akāmakarśanaḥ: articulate ṣ/ś distinction carefully (kār-śa-).
Triṣṭubh with emphatic anaphora; give consistent stress to the repeated duro/duraḥ while maintaining Vedic accent if trained.
Mark each ‘duro’ as a ‘key-turn’; slight pause after each asset (aśvasya, goḥ, yavasya).
Bright, directive, threshold-opening tone.
Best performed at an actual doorway/threshold for sympathetic ‘door-opening’ efficacy.
9 times
Seeking a job, clients, harvest success, buying/selling livestock/vehicle, opening a new shop/home.
At the start of the day or before crossing an important threshold (literal or figurative).
Sense of access, smoother opportunities, improved confidence and supportive alliances; symbolic ‘opening’ to resources.
Pair with ethical livelihood; do not treat as substitute for planning and effort.
Barley (yava) is explicitly named as a prosperity staple; the mantra conceptualizes Indra as the ‘door’ to its abundance, turning an agricultural good into a ritually mediated resource.
Wealth is categorized (horse/cow/grain) in a status-graded economy; access is framed as dependent on divine alliance and priestly speech at key household nodes (thresholds, pens).
The ‘door of X’ metaphor is Rigvedic-poetic; Atharvanic reuse foregrounds it as a literalizable ritual instruction (touching/marking the door), a pragmatic intensification.
Gopatha’s tendency to map metaphors onto ritual acts supports reading ‘dur’ as an actionable opening: speech ‘unlocks’ prosperity channels when applied at the correct locus (dvāra/threshold).
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