Inanna, Queen of Heaven, the ambitious goddess of love and war who married the shepherd king Dumuzi, decides to become the ruler of the lower world. Her sister Ereshkigal, the goddess of death and darkness, ruled there. Apparently the relationship between the sisters left much to be desired, since before entering the “land of no return,” Inanna gives instructions to her servant Ninshuburu. They agree that if the goddess does not return within three days, then Ninshubura should go to Nippur and pray to Enlil there for her salvation. If Enlil refuses, then it was necessary to go with the same request to Ur to the moon god Nanna. If he did not help, it was necessary to go to Eridu to Enki.
Dressed in royal robes and descending into the lower world, Inanna approached the temple of lapis lazuli where Ereshkigal lived. The gatekeeper Neti led her through seven gates, behind each of which Inanna, despite her protests, was deprived of one of the clothes and amulets that gave magical power. In the end, she appeared completely naked before Ereshkigal and the seven judges of the lower world. Suspecting her sister of unclean intentions, Ereshkigal fixed her deathly gaze on her and Inanna turned into a corpse, which was then hung on a pole.
On the fourth day, Ninshubur, seeing that his mistress has not returned, begins to circle the gods. Enlil and Nanna refused him, but Enki, knowing what troubles the disappearance of the goddess of fertility threatened the earth, agreed to help. He dug his hands into the soil, took out pieces of clay from under his red-painted nails and sculpted from it two mysterious creatures - Kurgarra and Kalaturra. They were neither men nor women and obediently carried out the will of God. Having received from Enki the “grass of life”, “water of life” and the corresponding instructions, these beings go to the lower world.
Carefully making their way along the paths of the underworld, the messengers of the god of wisdom reached the palace of Ereshkigal. She mockingly told them that they could take the corpse of the beautiful goddess. Having removed Inanna's body from the hook, Kurgarru and Kalaturru sprinkled it with the "water of life", sprinkled it with the "grass of life" and resurrected the goddess. But the seven underground Anunnaki gods block her path to the top. The inviolable rule of the lower world was the impossibility of returning to earth without providing a replacement.
Inanna returns to the upper world, accompanied by a crowd of demons who were supposed to take away the one she pointed to. Inanna takes turns going around her closest friends - Ninshubur, the god Latarak (Lulal), beloved Sharu from Umma, but they all beg in horror to free them from such a terrible fate. Finally, the goddess and the demons arrive in Uruk, where her husband Dumuzi, instead of mourning the death of his wife, calmly sat on the throne in magnificent royal robes. Beside herself with anger, Inanna gives her unfaithful husband to the demons.
The unfortunate Dumuzi turns his prayers to the brother of his merciless wife, the sun god Utu, who agrees to help. He turns Dumuzi's arms and legs into snakes, and he flees.
At this point the text on the tablets ends and the continuation of the myth can only be reconstructed from later texts. Dumuzi has now been turned into a gazelle by Utu and is fleeing from the demons, revealing his hiding place only to his sister Geshtinanna and an unknown friend. But this friend, bribed by the demons - gala (gallu) - reveals to them Dumuzi's place of refuge and he is forced to flee further. Eventually, the demons grab him and tear him apart. Geshtinanna is ready to go into the underworld as her brother, but Inanna, who is given to be the judge, pronounces her sentence - “for six months - you, for half a year - she,” that is, Geshtinanna and Dumuzi must alternately share their fate in the underworld.
From the Great Heavens to the Great Depths
I turned my thoughts.
Goddess from the Great Heavens to the Great Depths
I turned my thoughts.
Inanna from the Great Heavens to the Great Below
I turned my thoughts.
My mistress has left the sky, she has left the earth,
She goes into the bowels of the earth.
Inanna left the sky, left the earth,
She goes into the bowels of the earth.
The power has left the priest, the power of the priestess has left,
She goes into the bowels of the earth.
In Uruk, Eanu left the temple, she goes into the bowels of the earth.
In Badtibir I left Emushkalama,
She goes into the bowels of the earth.
Giguna left in Zabalam,
She goes into the bowels of the earth.
Eshara left in Adab,
She goes into the bowels of the earth.
In Nippur she left Baradurgara,
She goes into the bowels of the earth.
In Kish she left Khursanlkalama,
She goes into the bowels of the earth.
Eulmash left Akkad,
She goes into the bowels of the earth.
She collected her secret powers - seven of them.
She gathered her strength and held it in her hand.
She laid her secret powers at her feet.
On her head is the crown of Eden, Shugur.
On her brow is the forehead ribbon “The Beauty of the Brow.”
In her hands are signs of dominion and judgment.
An azure necklace hugs the neck.
A double pendant adorns the chest.
Golden wrists wrap around your arms.
Breasts are covered with a mesh “Come to me, man, come to me.”
The thighs are covered with a bandage, the robe of the mistresses.
The eyes are lined with the “Come, come” rub.
Inanna goes to the underworld.
Her ambassador Ninshubur is walking next to her.
Light Inanna says to Ninshuburu:
"My messenger, my messenger!
Herald of my merciful words!
The messenger of my swift-winged words!
When I go down to the underworld,
When I enter the underworld,
On the funeral hills, cry for me,
Beat the drum in the meeting house,
Go around the temples of the gods for me,
Scratch your face, rip your mouth apart,
Tear up your body for my sake,
Rusche, like a poor man, and day!
Enter Ekur, the temple of Enlil, alone.
When you enter Ekur, the temple of Enlil,
Weep before Enlil:
"Father Enlil, do not let your daughter
Die in the underworld!
Don't let your bright silver be covered with dust
In the underground world!
May the lapidary not split your beautiful lapis lazuli
In the underground world!
May the carpenter in the underworld not break your boxwood!
Don’t let the Maiden-Lady perish in the underworld!”
And when Enlil does not respond to these words, go to Ur!
In the city of Ur, in Emudkalam,
Entering Ekishnugal to Nanna,
Sob in front of Naina:
"Father Nanna, don't let your daughter die
In the underground world!
Don't let your bright silver be covered with dust
In the underground world!
May the lapidary not split your beautiful lapis lazuli
In the underground world!
May the carpenter in the underworld not break your boxwood!
Don’t let the Maiden-Lady perish in the underworld!”
And when Nanna does not respond to these words, go to Eredu!
When you enter Eredu, the temple of Enki,
Weep before Enki:
"Father Enki, do not let your daughter die
In the underground world!
Don't let your bright silver be covered with dust
In the underground world!
May the lapidary not split your beautiful lapis lazuli
In the underground world!
Don't let the Lady-Virgin die
In the underworld!"
Enki's father is wise and powerful,
He knows the grass of life, he knows the water of life,
He will revive me!"
Inanna goes to the underworld,
Ninshuburu, his ambassador, says:
"Go, come back, Ninshubur!
Don’t forget my orders!”
Inanna approaches the palace, the azure mountain,
He rushes to the gates of the underworld, full of anger,
At the gates of the underworld he shouts angrily:
"Open the palace, gatekeeper, open it!
Open the palace. Neti, open, and to my only one
I'll come in!"
Neti, the chief guardian of the kingdom,
Light Inanna answers;
"Who are you, who?"
"I am the sunrise star!"
"If you are a sunrise star,
Why did you come to “The Land of No Return”?
How your heart sent you on the path,
Where is there no return?"
Light Inaina answers him:
"To the great mistress, Ereshkigal,
For Gugalanna, her husband, is dead,
Burn funeral herbs for him.
Pour funeral beer for him.
Truly so, truly so!”
Neti, the chief guardian of the kingdom,
Light Inanna answers:
“Wait, O Inania, I will report about you to my lady!
I will tell my lady Ereshkigal about you, I will report about you!”
Neti, the chief guardian of the kingdom,
He comes to Ereshkigal, his mistress, and says:
"Oh my lady! There is a maiden there!"
The gods are like greatness and article.
Before the gates of the "Land of No Return".
She left her possessions in Eana.
She collected her secret powers - seven of them.
She gathered her strength and held it in her hand.
She laid her secret powers at her feet.
On her head is the crown of Eden, Shugur.
On her brow is the forehead ribbon “The Beauty of the Brow.”
In her hands are signs of dominion and judgment.
An azure necklace hugs the neck.
A double pendant adorns the chest.
Golden wrists wrap around your arms.
Breasts are covered with a mesh “Come to me, man, come to me.”
The thighs are covered with a bandage, the robe of the mistresses.
The eyes are lined with the rubbing “Come, come.”
Ereshkigal hit her sides,
Her face changed and she grabbed her head.
Neti, the chief guardian of the kingdom, gives instructions:
"O Neti, chief guardian of the kingdom,
What I say, don’t transgress!
The seven underworld pull back the bolts,
In the palace of Ganzir, which is the first before the underworld,
Open the gates!
And her when she comes in
And, bending down and approaching, I myself will meet you."
Neti, the chief guardian of the kingdom,
He praises the words of his mistress.
The seven underworld pulled back the bolt,
In the palace of Ganzir, which is the first before the underworld,
The gate was dissolved.
To Light Inanna he says this:
"Come in, Inanna!"
And when she came in,
Crown of Eden. Shugur, took it off his head.
"What is this, what?"
“Humble yourselves, Inanna, the laws of the underworld are omnipotent!
Inanna, be silent during the underground rites!"
And when I entered the second gate,
He took away the signs of dominion and judgment from her.
"What is this, what?"
“Humble yourselves, Inanna, the laws of the underworld are omnipotent!
Inanna, be silent during the underground rites!"
And when she entered the third gate,
He took the azure necklace from his neck.
"What is this, what?"
“Humble yourselves, Inanna, the laws of the underworld are omnipotent!
Inanna, be silent during the underground rites!"
And when the fourth gate entered,
He removed the double pendant from her chest.
"What is this, what?"
“Humble yourselves, Inanna, the laws of the underworld are omnipotent!
Inanna, be silent during the underground rites!"
And when the fifth gate entered,
He took the gold wrists off her hands.
"What is this, what?"
“Humble yourselves, Inanna, the laws of the underworld are omnipotent!
Inanna, be silent during the underground rites!"
And when the sixth gate entered,
He took off the “Come to me, man, come to me” net from his chest.
"What is this, what?"
“Humble yourselves, Inania, the laws of the underworld are omnipotent!
Inanna, be silent during the underground rites!"
And when the seventh gate entered,
He took off the bandage, the robe of the mistresses, from his hips.
"What is this, what?"
“Humble yourselves, Inanna, the laws of the underworld are omnipotent!
Inanna, be silent during the underground rites!"
And she entered and, bending down, approached.
Her sister jumped up from the throne.
Then she sat down on the throne again.
Seven Anuinak judges administer judgment before her.
She looked at Inanna - her look was death!
She uttered the words - her anger is in the words!
She let out a scream - a damn scream!
She turned the one who entered into a corpse.
The corpse was hung on a hook,
When three days and three nights have passed.
Ninshubur, her ambassador,
Herald of her merciful words,
The messenger of her swift-winged words,
On the funeral hills I cried for her,
In the meeting house, beating the drum,
I walked around the temples of the gods for her,
Scratched his face, tore his mouth,
I wounded my body for her sake,
He put on rags like a poor man.
I wandered alone to Ekur, the temple of Enlil.
When I entered Ekur, the temple of Enlil,
Before Enlil he wept:
"Father Enlil! Do not let your daughter perish
In the underground world!
Don't let your bright silver be covered with dust
In the underground world!
May the lapidary not split your beautiful lapis lazuli
In the underground world!
May the carpenter in the underworld not break your boxwood!
Don’t let the Maiden-Lady perish in the underworld!”
Enlil's father Ninshuburu responds:
"My daughter desired the Great Heavens,
She desired the Great Subsoil,
Inanna desired the Great Heavens,
She desired the Great Subsoil,
The laws of the underworld are omnipotent,
His offerings are eternal,
Who here will speak about her, put in a word for her?
Father Enlil did not respond to his prayers,
And he went to Ur.
In Ur, in Emudkalam,
Entering Ekishnugal to Naina,
He started crying in front of Naina:
"Father Nanna, don't let your daughter die
In the underground world!
Don't let your bright silver be covered with dust
In the underground world!
May the lapidary not split your beautiful lapis lazuli
In the underground world!
May the carpenter in the underworld not break your boxwood!
Don’t let the Maiden-Lady perish in the underworld!”
Father Nanna Ninshuburu responds:
“My daughter desired the Great Heavens.
She desired the Great Subsoil,
Inanna desired the Great Heavens,
She desired the Great Subsoil.
The laws of the underworld are omnipotent,
His offerings are eternal,
Who here will speak about her, put in a word for her?
Father Nanna did not respond to his prayers,
And he went to Eredu.
Entering Eredu, entering the god Enki,
In front of Enki he began to sob:
"Father Enki, do not let your daughter die
In the underground world!
Don't let your bright silver be covered with dust
In the underground world!
May the lapidary not split your beautiful lapis lazuli
In the underground world!
May the carpenter in the underworld not break your boxwood!
Don’t let the Maiden-Lady perish in the underworld!”
Enki's father Ninshuburu responds;
"My daughter! What happened to her? I'm worried!
Inanna! What happened to her? I'm worried!
Mistress of countries! What happened to her? I'm worried!
Priestess of heaven! What happened to her? I'm worried!"
He took out the dirt from under his nails and made a mound,
From under my red-painted nails I pulled out dirt,
Galatura did.
He gave the Kurgar the herbs of life.
He gave Galatura of the water of life.
Enki's father says to the kurgar and galathur:
"Go, go to the underworld!
Fly like flies at the underground gates,
Wind around the door axis like snakes!
Mother in labor in the throes of childbirth,
Ereshkigal lies and suffers!
Her white thighs are not covered with clothes,
Her breasts, like cups, are not covered by anything,
Her voice rings like ringing copper,
The braids are tousled like leeks.
And when she says: “Alas, my womb!” -
"O you who suffer, our lady, alas,
Your womb!" - tell her so!
And when she says: “Alas, oh my face!” -
"O you who suffer, our lady, alas,
O your face!" - tell her so!
"Who are you, where are you from?"
"From my womb - to your womb, from my face -
To your face!" - tell her so!
"If you are gods, I will give you the Word,
If you are people, I will reward you with Fate!"
Condemn her with the soul of heaven, with the soul of earth,
Conjure her with the soul of her depths!
They will give you river water - but don’t take it!
They will give you field grain - but don’t take it!
"Give me the corpse off the hook!" - Tell!
And one is the grass of life, and the second is
Touch your body with the water of life -
Inanna will rise!"
Galatur and Kurgar praise Enki's words.
At the underground gates they fly like flies,
They curl around the door axis like snakes.
Mother in labor in the throes of childbirth,
Ereshkigal lies and suffers,
Her white thighs are not covered with clothes,
Her breasts, like cups, are not covered by anything.
And when she groaned: “Alas, my womb!” -
“O you who suffer, our lady, alas, your womb!”
They said.
And when she moaned: “Alas, oh my face!” —
“O you who suffer, our lady, alas, oh your face!” -
They said.
"Who are you, where are you from?
You said: “From my womb to your womb!”
You said: “From my face to your face!”
If you are gods, I will give you the Word!
If you are people, I will reward you with Fate!"
They cursed her with the soul of heaven, the soul of earth!
They cursed her with the soul of the depths.
They are given river water, but they don’t take it!
They are given field grain - but they do not take it! "Give me the corpse off the hook!" - they said.
Bright Ereshkigal answers the kurgar and galaturu;
“This body is your mistress!”
“This is the body of our mistress, truly, give it back!” -
They said.
They took the body from the hook.
And one is the grass of life and the second is
The water of life touched her body.
Inanna stands up.
Inanna emerges from the underworld.
The Anunnaki grab her.
"Which of those who descended into the underground world
Came out unharmed
From the underworld?
If Inanna leaves the "Land of No Return",
Let him leave his head behind!”
Inanna emerges from the underworld.
And small demons gala, like sharp arrows,
I will escape from my demons, they will not drag me away!
And Utu heeded his pleas,
As a benefactor, he showed mercy,
He turned his hands into lizard paws,
He turned his legs into lizard paws.
He escaped from the demons without being dragged away by them.
They go around countries in pursuit of him,
They are looking for his hiding place,
The demons are waving their arms
The gaping mouths emanate in a cry.
Small demons open their mouths
A word is said to the big demons:
“Come on, let’s go to the bright Inanna!”
Demons burst into Uruk, they seize the bright Inanna.
“Come on, Inanna, return to the path that you yourself have chosen,”
Go to the underworld!
Where your heart sent you, come back -
Go to the underworld!
Return to the dwelling of Ereshkigal -
Go to the underworld!
Do not wear a light bandage, the robe of mistresses -
Go to the underworld!
Light tiara, welcoming crown, take it off your head -
Go to the underworld!
Don't put paint on your eyes -
Go to the underworld!
Don't put sandals on your feet -
Go to the underworld!
When she left the underworld,
You haven’t found a replacement for yourself!”
With such words they rushed to the bright Inanna!
Inanna clung to Dumuzi's hand in fear.
"O young man! Put your feet in shackles!
O young man! Throw yourself into the trap! Thread your neck into the yoke!"
And they raised hooks, awls and spears against him!
A huge copper ax was raised against him!
Oh, young man! They grabbed him with it, threw him down,
His clothes were torn off with her...
Oh, young man! His hands were twisted
They wrapped him with an evil rope!
They covered their face with a cloth of fear!
And the young man raised his hands to Utu in heaven:
“Utu, I’m your friend! You know me, the hero!”
I took your sister as my wife,
And she went to the underworld,
She went to the underworld
She gave me as a replacement!
Utu, you are a fair judge, may they not arrest me!
Change my hands, change my appearance!
I will escape from the hands of my demons, they will not drag me away!
I'll slither like a mountain snake among the mountains,
I will bring my soul to Geshtinaina, my sister!”
Utu heeded his pleas,
Changed his hands, changed his face.
He glided among the mountains like a mountain snake.
Dumuzi! He is a falcon bird,
He carried his soul like a swift bird,
And he brought his soul to Geshtinanna.
Geshtianna looked at her brother -
She scratched her cheeks and tore her mouth,
She looked around and tore her clothes,
She began to voice over the groaning young man:
"Oh, my brother, oh, my brother! Oh, young man!
May those days never return!
Oh brother! O shepherd! Amaushumgalanna!
May those days never return.
Oh my brother! Young man! Without a wife, without a son!
Oh my brother! Young man! Without a friend-comrade!
Oh, my brother, young man! Mother sad!"
And the gala demons are looking for Dumuzi and surround him.
Small demons say a word to big demons:
"Demons without family, without tribe, without father or mother,
Without-sister-brother, without-wife-son!
Great army, spreading terror in the world at sunset!
You demons are grabbing people!
You don't know kindness and mercy
You do not know the joy of the heart!
Well, let's go! On his fears, on his soul,
on his health who wants. should I take a look?
We won't go to his friend, we won't go to his brother-in-law,
Let's go to Geshtinanna for the shepherd!"
The demons are waving their arms, looking for Dumuzi.
The gaping mouths emanate a scream.
Demons appeared to Geshtinanna.
"Where is your brother, tell me?" - they ask, but she is silent.
The sky is approaching, the earth is floating away, but it is silent.
The earth is approaching, the sky is breaking, but she is silent!
The earth came closer. They tore off her clothes, but she was silent!
They poured pitch onto her bosom, but she is silent!
The demons did not find Dumuzi in Geshtinanna's house.
Small demons say this to big demons:
“Come on, let’s go to the sacred enclosure!”
They found Dumuzi in the sacred enclosure.
They surrounded him and captured him! They found him, saw him!
They attacked the young man screaming with a huge ax
Did they throw you to the ground?
They ripped open his womb with knives,
They surrounded him on all sides!
A sister is ready to sacrifice for her brother,
A bird circles around his brother.
“Oh my brother! I will go to great pains for you!
I'll kill you with a midge!"
Maiden Inanna decided so.
By Inanna's judgment it was accomplished.
Virgin Inanna weeps bitterly:
"My hero is gone, ruined."
How to decide fate now?
Your term is half a year,
Your sister is half a year old!
Let your day come, and on that day you will return.'
Your sister’s day will come, and on that day she will return!”
Bright Inanna gave Dumuzi's head for her head!
Bright Ereshkigal!
A good song of praise for you!”
(translation by V.K. Afanasyeva)
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru