Rig Veda 5.5.5: Mandala 5, Sukta 5, Mantra 5
Sukta 5.5
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Devī Dvāraḥ
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
देवीर्द्वारो वि श्रयध्वं सुप्रायणा न ऊतये । प्रप्र यज्ञं पृणीतन ॥
devī́rdvā́ro ví śráyadhvaṃ suprāyaṇā́ na ūtáye | prá-pra yajñáṃ pṛṇītana ||
मंदिर के दरवाज़े खुल जाओ। हमारे लिए रास्ता साफ करो। हमारी रक्षा करो। यज्ञ को पूरा करो, आगे बढ़ाओ।
Word by Word
- देवीः
- goddessesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole सम्बोधन/कर्तृ (आह्वानार्थ) अथवा कर्म (आह्वान-वस्तु)Root देवी (प्रातिपदिक) < देव (देवता)
- द्वारः
- doors, gatewaysNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot द्वार्/द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, forth, widelyIndeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियाविशेषक)Root वि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- श्रयध्वम्
- take your places; resort (to), come forwardVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे); मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRole क्रिया (कर्तृ: द्वारः/देवीः)Root √श्रि (श्रयति)
- सुप्रायणा
- having good approach/advance; well-leadingAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन (द्वारः/देवीः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot सु-प्रायणा (प्रातिपदिक); प्रायणा < √इ (गमन) / प्र-√इ (प्रयाण)
- नः
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी (सम्बन्धे); बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (अधिकार/सम्बन्धः)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- ऊतये
- for help, for protectionNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (उद्देश्य/हित)Root ऊति (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गः/निपातः (तीव्रता/प्रवृत्त्यर्थ)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- प्र
- forth, onwardIndeclinableउपसर्गः/निपातः (पुनरुक्त्या बलवत्तरः)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- यज्ञम्
- the sacrifice, ritualNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) < √यज्
- पृणीतन
- fill, make full, completeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे); मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (कर्म: यज्ञम्)Root √पॄ/पृ (पृणाति)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: देवीः | द्वारः | वि | श्रयध्वम् | सुप्रायणा | नः | ऊतये | प्र | प्र | यज्ञम् | पृणीतन || 1) देवी॑र्द्वारो॒ = देवीः + द्वारः (विसर्गस्य रेफादेशः: ः + द् → र्; द्वारः इत्यत्र ओ॒ छन्दसि/संहितायां प्रथमा-बहुवचनस्य दीर्घ/स्वर-प्रयोगः)
- 2) सुप्राय॒णा न॑ = सुप्रायणा + नः (सन्धिः न; उच्चारणे न॑ इति उदात्त/स्वरित-चिह्न)
- 3) ऊ॒तये॑ पृथक् (चतुर्थी एकवचन)
- 4) प्रप्र॑ = प्र + प्र (निपातद्वयस्य संहिता)
- 5) य॒ज्ञं पृ॑णीतन = यज्ञम् + पृणीतन (अनुस्वार/म् + प्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O divine Doors, open yourselves wide; be a good passage for our protection. Forward, forward—fill and complete the sacrifice.
Inner meaning
The ‘Divine Doors’ are the openings of consciousness—inner gates between ordinary mind and higher planes. The seeker asks these thresholds to open (vi śrayadhvam) and become a secure passage (suprāyaṇāḥ) so the sacrifice (inner work) may advance and be completed (pra-pra… pṛṇītana).
Universal truth
Realization requires openness: when the gates of perception and receptivity open in the right way, progress becomes protected and the work reaches fullness.
Themes
opening of the sacrifice, threshold guardians, right passage, ritual as inner transition
The seer
Significance
As in many Aprī hymns, the seer invokes ‘Doors’ as cosmic-psychological thresholds. In inner yoga, this is the moment of deliberate opening—inviting higher influence while asking for protection and right guidance through the transition.
The deity
- Devata
- Devī Dvāraḥ (Divine Doors)
- Epithets
- Suprāyaṇāḥ (good passage)
- Related deities
- Uṣas (dawn/illumination opening the day), Sarasvatī (flowing inspiration), Agni (leader who enters through the opened gates)
Cosmic role
Guardians and openings of the sacrificial path; they admit the gods/powers and prevent disorder; thresholds between worlds.
Inner power
Capacity for receptivity, discernment, and safe transition into subtler states; regulated openness (not indiscriminate).
In ritual
Where it is used
Aprī hymn component in śrauta rites—invoking the Doors to open for the gods and for the rite’s successful progression.
देवी॑र्द्वारो॒ वि श्र॑यध्वं सुप्राय॒णा न॑ ऊ॒तये॑ । प्रप्र॑ य॒ज्ञं पृ॑णीतन ॥
देवीः॑ । द्वारः॑ । वि । श्र॒य॒ध्व॒म् । सु॒प्र॒ऽअ॒य॒नाः । नः॒ । ऊ॒तये॑ । प्रऽप्र॑ । य॒ज्ञम् । पृ॒णी॒त॒न॒ ॥
devīḥ | dvāraḥ | vi | śrayadhvam | supra-ayanāḥ | naḥ | ūtaye | pra-pra | yajñam | pṛṇītana
Directive and progressive; repetition ‘pra-pra’ gives marching-forward impetus.
Creates felt opening and forward momentum; psychologically ‘unseals’ and then mobilizes the practice.
- देवीः द्वारः (devīḥ dvāraḥ)
- Literal: divine doors/gates. Symbolic: inner openings/thresholds to higher consciousness; receptive faculties
- वि श्रयध्वम् (vi śrayadhvam)
- Literal: open/spread yourselves. Symbolic: widen the channels of reception; remove inner closures
- सुप्रायणाः (suprāyaṇāḥ)
- Literal: having a good passage/advance. Symbolic: safe, auspicious transit of consciousness; right pathing
- ऊतये (ūtaye)
- Literal: for aid/protection. Symbolic: guardianship of the journey through openings
- प्रप्र (pra-pra)
- Literal: forward, forward. Symbolic: progressive advance; insistence of ascent
- पृणीतन (pṛṇītana)
- Literal: fill, complete. Symbolic: make the inner sacrifice full—integrate all parts of being in offering
Aprī hymn component: invocation of the ‘Doors’ at the beginning of offering—opening the rite and ensuring right access for gods and oblations
At the preparatory stage before main offerings—symbolically opening the ritual space and inviting divine presence.
Recitation while preparing the altar-space and proceeding with the sequence of invocations.
Before meditation or important work, consciously ‘open the doors’: relax, widen attention, set protective intention, then proceed step-by-step (pra-pra) to complete the practice.
dvā́ra ‘door’ from √dṝ/√dvar ‘to close/hold’ (threshold function). śrayadhvam: imperative plural middle from √śri ‘to lean on, rest, resort, extend/attach’—here ‘set yourselves/stand open’ as supports of passage. āyana ‘going, course’ from √i ‘to go’; supra- ‘good, right’ indicates right movement in Ṛta. pṛṇītana from √pṝ ‘to fill, satisfy’—completion/plenitude rather than mere quantity.
Ṛta as right passage (suprāyaṇāḥ), protection/help (ūti) as divine guidance, wholeness/completion (pṝ ‘fill’)
Right opening is an act of ṛta—proper measure and timing of receptivity.
Truth is entered through rightly opened gates; premature or distorted opening leads to confusion.
Threshold-crossing as a creative transition: entering a new level of being so the sacrifice can be ‘filled’ into completeness.
Vedic psychology of thresholds; resonates with later yogic emphasis on regulated opening of nāḍīs and faculties.
dawn (symbolic opening; often paired with Uṣas in Aprī contexts)
Doors = apertures of mind/heart; opening = receptivity; good passage = safe movement of consciousness; forward advance = sustained sādhanā.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘opening of the gates’—a recurring Vedic action where threshold-powers are invoked to permit the gods’ entry and the sacrificer’s ascent. Psychologically, it is the unlocking of inner passages so the work (yajña) can proceed without obstruction.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The motif of ‘doors/gates’ as liminal powers is pan-Indo-European (threshold symbolism). √i ‘go’ (āyana ‘course’) continues PIE *h₁ey- ‘to go’ (cf. Latin ire). The repeated prá-pra mirrors archaic IE intensification through reduplicated preverbs for forward drive.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi commands the Doors to open and to become ‘help’ (ūti). The exchange is functional: the human initiative (prá-pra) seeks progress; the devatā grants access and completion, ensuring the sacrifice becomes a full channel for Ṛta.
Open the inner gates with protection; proceed steadily to complete the offering of the whole being.
ajna
Three slow breaths: inhale ‘open’, exhale ‘release’; then 6 rounds of nāḍī-śodhana to create ‘suprāyaṇa’ (clear passage).
Receptive, protected, forward-moving concentration.
Visualize two luminous doors at the brow/heart opening outward. Affirm: ‘May only the true enter; may the path be good.’ Then advance stepwise: mantra → silence → offering of thoughts → completion with gratitude.
Not fully specifiable without śākhā svara notation; emphasize the imperative openings ‘vi śrayadhvam’ and the forward drive ‘pra-pra’.
Give ‘devīr dvāro’ a clear, reverent opening; make ‘pra-pra’ distinctly repeated with slight forward push; end ‘pṛṇītana’ with fullness.
devīr: long ī; final r lightly tapped, dvāro: dv cluster—keep both consonants; long ā, śrayadhvam: śr cluster clean; dhv voiced aspirate cluster, pṛṇītana: vocalic ṛ; long ī in ṇī
Open-throated, resonant, inviting; not forceful—like opening space.
8
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