* "Sacred" is subjective: What one culture considers sacred, another might not.
* Length can be measured in different ways: Do we consider total words, lines, or something else?
* Many long poems exist: Several ancient epics and religious texts contain extensive poetic sections.
However, some contenders for the title of the longest sacred poem include:
* The Mahabharata (India): This epic poem, containing over 100,000 verses and around 1.8 million words, is considered one of the longest poems ever written. While it's primarily a story, it contains philosophical and religious teachings and is highly revered in Hinduism.
* The Ramayana (India): Another major epic poem of Hinduism, with around 24,000 verses, it tells the story of Rama and Sita and includes many religious and moral themes.
* The Epic of Gilgamesh (Mesopotamia): This ancient Sumerian epic, composed in cuneiform script, tells the story of a king's quest for immortality. It is considered one of the oldest surviving pieces of literature and has significant religious and philosophical implications.
* The Book of Psalms (Judaism/Christianity): While not a single poem, this collection of 150 poems, considered sacred in both Judaism and Christianity, is a significant body of devotional and philosophical poetry.
* The Quran (Islam): While not technically a poem in the traditional sense, the Quran is written in a highly rhythmic and poetic style and is considered the sacred text of Islam.
Ultimately, declaring one poem as the "longest sacred poem" is a matter of perspective and interpretation. Each of these texts holds significant religious and cultural importance and has contributed to the history of poetry and literature.