1. May the serpent, ye gods, not slay us along with our children and our men! The closed (jaw) shall not snap open, the open one not close! Reverence (be) to the divine folk! 2. Reverence be to the black serpent, reverence to the one that is striped across! To the brown svaga reverence; reverence to the divine folk! 3. I clap thy teeth upon thy teeth, and also thy jaw upon thy jaw; I press thy tongue against thy tongue, and close up, O serpent, thy mouth.AV 10.4 · Atharva Veda · 10
AV 10.4
Atharva Veda · translated by Maurice Bloomfield
Themes in this passage
WorshipThe DivineSpeechChildrenFear
Worship in other traditions
The same theme, as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hellenism address it.
And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.Numbers 29:31 · Bible · Numbers
Nor will ye worship that which I worship.Quran 109:5 · Quran · The Unbelievers
Whatever a man sacrifice in this world as an offering or as an oblation for a whole year in order to gain merit, the whole of it is not worth a quarter (a farthing); reverence shown to the righteous is better.Dhp 8.108 · Dhammapada · The Thousands
Full fifty more from Athens stem the main, Led by Menestheus through the liquid plain. (Athens the fair, where great Erectheus sway’d, That owed his nurture to the blue-eyed maid, But from the teeming furrow took his birth, The mighty offspring of the foodful earth. Him Pallas placed amidst her wealthy fane, Adored with sacrifice and oxen slain; Where, as the years revolve, her altars blaze, And all the tribes resound the goddess’ praise.) No chief like thee, Menestheus! Greece could yield, To marshal armies in the dusty field, The extended wings of battle to display, Or close the embodied host in firm array. Nestor alone, improved by length of days, For martial conduct bore an equal praise.Iliad 2.41 · Iliad · 2
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