AV 9.3g

Atharva Veda · translated by Maurice Bloomfield

To the goal here he shall lead us, to old age; old age shall hand us over to death: then shall we be united with the cooked (porridge)! 56. Thee here we hand over to the southern direction, to Indra as sovereign lord, to the serpent that is striped across as guardian, to Yama as bowman: do ye guard it for us, until we arrive! To the goal here, &c. 57. Thee here we hand over to the western direction, to Varuna as sovereign lord, to the pridâku- serpent as guardian, to food as bowman: do ye guard it for us, until we arrive. To the goal here, 58. Thee here we hand over to the northern direction, to Soma as sovereign lord, to the svaga- serpent as guardian, to the lightning as bowman: do ye guard it for us, until we arrive. To the goal here, &c. 59. Thee here we hand over to the direction of the nadir, to Vishnu as sovereign lord, to the serpent with black-spotted neck as guardian, to the plants as bowmen: do ye guard it for us, until we arrive. To the goal here, &c. 60. Thee here we hand over to the direction of the zenith, to Brihaspati as sovereign lord, to the light-coloured serpent as guardian, to the rain as bowman: do ye guard it for us, until we arrive. To the goal here, &c.

AV 9.3g · Atharva Veda · 9

Themes in this passage

The Divine Leadership Protection Death Nature Children Karma

The Divine in other traditions

The same theme, as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hellenism address it.

Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.

Deuteronomy 23:5 · Bible · Deuteronomy

Allah, your Lord and Lord of your forefathers?

Quran 37:126 · Quran · The Rangers

Self is the lord of self, who else could be the lord? With self well subdued, a man finds a lord such as few can find.

Dhp 12.160 · Dhammapada · Self

Saturnia lends the lash; the coursers fly; Smooth glides the chariot through the liquid sky. Heaven’s gates spontaneous open to the powers, Heaven’s golden gates, kept by the winged Hours. Commission’d in alternate watch they stand, The sun’s bright portals and the skies command; Close, or unfold, the eternal gates of day Bar heaven with clouds, or roll those clouds away. The sounding hinges ring, the clouds divide. Prone down the steep of heaven their course they guide. But Jove, incensed, from Ida’s top survey’d, And thus enjoin’d the many-colour’d maid.

Iliad 8.29 · Iliad · 8

See what all six traditions say about the divine →

Search every tradition at once

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