Sacred Concord

Atharva Veda on Doubt

6 passages in the Atharva Veda address doubt, in the Maurice Bloomfield translation.

Search every tradition at once

Ask a question in your own words and see how six traditions answer it.

designs. 1. The great guardian among these (gods) sees as if from anear. He that thinketh he is moving stealthily--all this the gods know. 2. If a man stands, walks, or sneaks about, if he goes slinking away, if he goes into his hiding- place; if two persons sit together and scheme, king Varuna is there as a third, and knows it. 3. Both this earth here belongs to king Varuna, and also yonder broad sky whose boundaries are far away. Moreover these two oceans are the loins of Varuna; yea, he is hidden in this small (drop of) water. 4. He that should flee beyond the heaven far away would not be free from king Varuna. His spies come hither (to the earth) from heaven, with a thousand eyes do they watch over the earth. 5. King Varuna sees through all that is between heaven and earth, and all that is beyond. He has counted the winkings of men's eyes. As a (winning) gamester puts down his dice, thus does he establish these (laws). 6. May all thy fateful toils which, seven by seven, threefold, lie spread out, ensnare him that speaks falsehood: him that speaks the truth they shall let go! 7. With a hundred snares, O Varuna, surround him, let the liar not go free from thee, O thou that observest men! The rogue shall sit, his belly hanging loose, like a cask without hoops, bursting all about! 8. With (the snare of) Varuna which is fastened lengthwise, and that which (is fastened) broadwise, with the indigenous and the foreign, with the divine and the human,-- 9. With all these snares do I fetter thee, O N. N., descended from N. N., the son of the woman N. N.: all these do I design for thee.
AV 2.12 · Atharva Veda · 2
1. As the best of the plants thou art reputed, O herb: turn this man for me to-day into a eunuch that wears his hair dressed! 2. Turn him into a eunuch that wears his hair dressed, and into one that wears a hood! Then Indra with a pair of stones shall break his testicles both! 3. O eunuch, into a eunuch thee I have turned;O castrate, into a castrate thee I have turned; O weakling, into a weakling thee I have turned! A hood upon his head, and a hair-net do we place. 4. The two canals, fashioned by the gods, in which man's power rests, in thy testicles............ I break them with a club. 5. As women break reeds for a mattress with a stone, thus do I break thy member
AV 1.18 · Atharva Veda · 1
1. Unity of heart, and unity of mind, freedom from hatred, do I procure for you. Do ye take delight in one another, as a cow in her (new-) born calf! 2. The son shall be devoted to his father, be of the same mind with his mother; the wife shall speak honied, sweet, words to her husband! 3. The brother shall not hate the brother, and the sister not the sister! Harmonious, devoted to the same purpose, speak ye words in kindly spirit! 4. That charm which causes the gods not to disagree, and not to hate one another, that do we prepare in your house, as a means of agreement for your folk. 5. Following your leader, of (the same) mind, do ye not hold yourselves apart! Do ye come here, co-operating, going along the same wagon-pole, speaking agreeably to one another! I render you of the same aim, of the same mind. 6. Identical shall be your drink, in common shall be your share of food! I yoke you together in the same traces: do ye worship Agni, joining together, as spokes around about the hub! 7. I render you of the same aim, of the same mind, all paying deference to one (person) through my harmonising charm. Like the gods that are guarding the ambrosia, may he (the leader) be welldisposed towards you, night and day!
AV 6.73 · Atharva Veda · 6
1. May we be in harmony with our kinfolk, in harmony with strangers; do ye, O Asvins, establish here agreement among us! 2. May we agree in mind and thought, may we not struggle with one another, in a spirit displeasing to the gods! Ma not the din of frequent battle-carnage arise, may the arrow not fly when the day of Indra has arrived!
AV 6.64 · Atharva Veda · 6
1. Do ye agree, unite yourselves, may your minds be in harmony, just as the gods of old in harmony-. sat down to their share! 2. Same be their counsel, same their assembly, same their aim, in common their thought! The 'same' oblation do I sacrifice for you: do ye enter upon the same plan! Same be your intention, same your hearts! Same be your mind, so that it may be perfectly in common to you!
AV 6.42 · Atharva Veda · 6
1. As the bowstring from the bow, thus do I take off thy anger from thy heart, so that, having become of the same mind, we shall associate like friends! 2. Like friends we shall associate-I take off thy anger. Under a stone that is heavy do we cast thy anger. 3. I step upon thy anger with my heel and my fore-foot, so that, bereft of will, thou shalt not speak, shalt come up to my wish!
AV 6.43 · Atharva Veda · 6

Doubt in other traditions

Compare all traditions on doubt →

Other themes in the Atharva Veda

FaithTruthWisdomTrust