Rig Veda 2.24.5: Mandala 2, Sukta 24, Mantra 5
Sukta 2.24
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Brahmaṇaspati
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
सना ता का चिद्भुवना भवीत्वा माद्भिः शरद्भिर्दुरो वरन्त वः । अयतन्ता चरतो अन्यदन्यदिद्या चकार वयुना ब्रह्मणस्पतिः ॥
sanā́ tā́ kā́ cid bhúvanā bhávītvā mā́dbhiḥ śarádbhir dúro varanta vaḥ | áyatantā carato anyád anyád íd yā́ cakā́ra vayúnā bráhmaṇas pátiḥ ||
प्राचीन काळापासून—भुवनेच होऊन—ऋतूंच्या प्रवाहात तुमच्यासाठी दारे बंद ठेवली गेली. ती चालत-फिरत, निरनिराळ्या मार्गांनी, प्रत्येक आपापल्या गतीने; ब्रह्मणस्पतीने ‘वयुना’ (विधि-व्यवस्था) रचली आणि ‘इद्या’ (यथार्थ विवेक) प्रस्थापित केला.
Word by Word
- सना
- from of old, everIndeclinableअव्यय (काल/नित्यत्वार्थे)Role Adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)Root सना (avyaya-prātipadika)
- ताः
- those (fem. pl.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- का
- some (one)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (within relative/indef. clause)Root क (interrog./indef. pronoun)
- चित्
- indeed, evenIndeclinableनिपात (अवधारण/अपि-अर्थे)Root चित् (particle)
- भुवनानि
- worlds, beings/realmsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot भुवन (prātipadika < √भू)
- भवीत्वा
- having becomeVerbक्त्वान्त (absolutive), पूर्वकालRole (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकर्म)Root √भू (भवति) → भवीत्वा
- मात्
- from me / of mePronounषष्ठी/पञ्चमी-एकवचन (वेदे ‘मात्’ = ‘मम/मत्’), अपादान/सम्बन्धार्थेRole Apādāna/Relation (source/‘from me’)Root मा (1st pers. pronoun stem)
- भिः
- indeed; (enclitic emphasis)Indeclinableनिपात (समुच्चय/अनुनासिक-प्रयोगः; ‘indeed/with’)Root भि (enclitic particle, Vedic)
- शरद्भिः
- with/through the autumns; by yearsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole Karaṇa (काल-पर्यायेन साधनम्) / Adhikaraṇa (काल)Root शरद् (prātipadika)
- दुरः
- doors, gatesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग (collective), द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot दुर्/द्वार् (prātipadika; RV ‘दुरः’ = ‘द्वाराणि’)
- वरन्त
- they choose / they ward offVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (परस्मैपद; वैदिक रूप)Role KriyāRoot √वृ (वृणोति/वृणुते) ‘to choose, to ward/cover’
- वः
- for you / of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role Sampradāna/RelationRoot युष्मद् (2nd pers. pronoun)
- अयतन्त
- they strove, exerted themselvesVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole KriyāRoot √यत् (यतते) ‘to strive, exert’
- चरतो
- the two moving ones; going aboutVerbशतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (present participle), प्रथमा/द्वितीया द्विवचन (वैदिक प्रयोग; ‘the two moving/going’)Role Kartā (participial)Root √चर् (चरति)
- अन्यत्
- one (thing), anotherPronoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma/PredicateRoot अन्य (prātipadika)
- अन्यत्
- another (thing)Pronoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma/PredicateRoot अन्य (prātipadika)
- इद्
- just, indeedIndeclinableनिपात (अवधारणार्थे)Root इद् (particle)
- या
- whichPronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (relative clause)Root यद् (relative pronoun)
- चकार
- has done, madeVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole KriyāRoot √कृ (करोति)
- वयुना
- devices, ordinances, wise arrangementsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (RV often ‘वयुना’ as neut. pl. acc.)Role KarmaRoot वयुन (prātipadika)
- ब्रह्मणस्पतिः
- Brahmaṇaspati (Lord of sacred utterance/prayer)Noun (deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot ब्रह्मन् + पति (tatpuruṣa)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (major): चिद्भुवना → चित् + भुवनानि (RV often has neut. pl. acc. ‘भुवनानि’)
- माद्भिः → मात् + भिः (Vedic enclitic particle ‘भिः’)
- शरद्भिः + दुरः (no further change)
- अन्यदन्यदिद् → अन्यत् + अन्यत् + इद्
- इद्या → इद् + या
- वयुना (taken as RV neut. pl. acc. of ‘वयुन’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Since ancient times, though existing as worlds, the doors were held shut against you by the passing months and autumns. Moving without effort, distinct from one another, Brahmanaspati created the knowledge-patterns (vayuna) and ordered these workings.
Inner meaning
The psychological states (worlds) of the aspirant have long existed, but the doors of higher consciousness were closed by the cycles of Time (months/years) and the inertia of the physical nature. Brahmanaspati, the Lord of the Creative Word, enters these chaotic, separate movements of the being and creates 'vayuna'—spiritual discernments or patterns of Truth—thereby organizing the inner life.
Universal truth
Chaos and unconsciousness exist until the Divine Word (Logos) intervenes to impose order, rhythm, and discernment upon the movements of existence.
Themes
cosmic ordering, doors held shut and opened, discernment-method, evolutionary becoming
In ritual
Where it is used
General praise; supports invocation for opening ‘doors’ and establishing right inner method (vayuna) for sacrifice/discipline.
सना॒ ता का चि॒द्भुव॑ना॒ भवी॑त्वा मा॒द्भिः श॒रद्भि॒र्दुरो॑ वरन्त वः । अय॑तन्ता चरतो अ॒न्यद॑न्य॒दिद्या च॒कार॑ व॒युना॒ ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पति॑: ॥
सना॑ । ता । का । चि॒त् । भुव॑ना । भवी॑त्वा । मा॒त्ऽभिः । श॒रत्ऽभिः॑ । दुरः॑ । व॒र॒न्त॒ । वः॒ । अय॑तन्ता । च॒र॒तः॒ । अ॒न्यत्ऽअ॑न्यत् । इत् । या । च॒कार॑ । व॒युना॑ । ब्रह्म॑णः । पतिः॑ ॥
sanā | tā | kā | cit | bhuvanā | bhavītvā | māt-bhiḥ | śarat-bhiḥ | duraḥ | varanta | vaḥ | ayatantā | carataḥ | anyat-anyat | it | yā | cakāra | vayunā | brahmaṇaḥ | patiḥ
General praise; supports invocation for opening ‘doors’ and establishing right inner method (vayuna) for sacrifice/discipline.
sanā ‘of old’ anchors the action in perennial cosmic process. dur- ‘door’ becomes a symbol of thresholds between planes. √vṛ ‘cover/ward’ in varanta suggests concealment/withholding. vayuna (from √vi/√vay semantic of weaving/arranging) denotes intelligent differentiation and right method—key for the ‘inner technology’ of ascent.
ordered becoming of worlds (bhuvanā), thresholds of consciousness (duraḥ), vayuna as right method/discernment
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘closed doors’ mythologem: access to higher worlds is barred across cycles until the right power establishes the method. Innerly, the gates of consciousness open not by force alone but by Brahmaṇaspati’s vayuna—true discrimination and right arrangement of inner movements.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Door/gate metaphors for access to the divine are widespread in Indo-European traditions; the verbal root √vṛ ‘cover/ward’ continues an inherited semantic of ‘enclosure/defense’, here transposed into concealment of higher states.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks not only gifts but the divine ‘method’—vayuna—by which the inner sacrifice becomes effective. Brahmaṇaspati is the architect of right functioning; the human follows the ordered way and thereby passes the doors.
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