Through the Underworld
I Song of Descent
I went to the Underworld one day, I wanted it all--
the light and the darkness, moon and Sun all in all.
I put on my finest things, wrapped myself in power
my breastplate of love; my love for mankind and myself,
my golden ring of power and art; my ability and might,
my lapis lazuli beads; truth and friendship for the way,
my crown of inspiration; knowledge desired and won,
my robe of wholeness; everything I am and wish to be,
my eyes' decorations; that all men flock to my side,
my measuring-rod and line; my authority in the world,
I clothed myself with power and authority, the Gods' might in my hands.
I set out for the Underworld, so very far away.
My greatest friend, she was with me, so very frightened and afraid,
'No one comes back from the Underworld, you cannot survive,
not in that land of endless night, far from the place of your power,
do not go, oh do not go, everything will be bare without you!'
But I went, with my powers around me, fey was my mood that day.
'Do not fear for me Nincubura, but if I am gone too long--
if I stray into the deepest darkness, then be my friend,
and fight for me as friends must do; seek help, do not leave me,
then I will return, whole once more - I lay my trust on you.'
I left my friend, my gardens, the very light itself,
and stood before the vast gates of Underworld, so small beneath them,
I hammered, impatient on the doors - 'Let me in!
I come to a funeral! I have authority and I will enter!'
The Gatekeeper, old and bleak, he rushed to his ruler--
'Lady, your sister has come, to a funeral she says,
dressed in power, she has the breastplate called O Come,
the ring of art, the crown of wisdom, and wholeness on her,
she has lapis lazuli beads round her neck, and decorations on her eyes
she carries divine powers and the measuring-rod and line,
she hammers at the entrance, she demands admittance!
Lady Ereckigala gave her orders - 'Close the seven doors of approach,
have the impetuous one go through each at a time,
take from her her disguises, her cloaks and shields,
have her come to me naked, bare of all, have her come.'
The first gate, wide as ten men, stood before me,
yet the powers demanded I remove the ring of my power--
never had it seemed so reassuring as when I gave it up,
and at the next gate, smaller than the last, they demanded--
oh it was hard to give this up - they demanded
my crown of inspiration, my true and steady mind.
At each gate my defenses were taken from me,
my mind, my power, my love and my wholeless itself,
all the shields erected to hold back fear and pain,
now was I helpless, fearful, raising my voice to the stars--
but all is black in Underworld, my voice remained silent,
all my power just a memory of times past, growing fainter.
I stood before the ruler, I regretted my rash action,
I came to rule, to know, to be in dark Underworld,
but found myself weak, ignorant and separated
I was lost, losing myself in blackness and in fear
My sister laughed, her sneering Anuna judges condemned me,
judged me unworthy, lost, not fit to rule,
a million laughing voices filled my mind, I cowered on the floor--
I was unworthy, agonised, I knew I would end here,
all my hopes and dreams crumbled, fell to the ground
like old civilisations forsaken by the Gods themselves
leaving hardly a trace where once grandeur reigned.
In soul-torment they hung me on a hok, dreadful
dreams and desires assailed me, broke me into pieces,
I could not resist the blackness of the Underworld.
I was lost, and could retain no strength to fight.
All was ended.
II Song of Ascent
Nincubura wept, wept as though the force of the sea was in her,
grieving her friend, her companion, her mistress who was lost,
she raised a lament to the skies - the world wept with her,
for mourning no plant grew, the sun did not burn,
the land was locked in winter's tomb day after day
lamenting the daughter of the Gods stricken in Underworld
the world was closed, bleak and empty without her.
Nincubura hurt, and wore that pain as a badge of love,
her blood staining the ground in mourning for a friend
the lament of the body when mind cannot speak,
the pain easing a greater agony and hateful despair.
Nincubura shouted to the Gods, in their shrines and palaces,
she lamented their daughter, called them to action,
called for their power to free her friend from the deeps,
but the Gods did not listen - 'It was her choice, she chose Underworld,
it is not our business but hers, a just reward for rashful action,
who, going into Underworld, could possibly expect to return to us?
We cannot help, not even for the daughter of the Gods.'
Then Nincubura's laments raised the roof of the world,
her pain filled the earth, woke all mankind to mourn,
the Gods had not aided their daughter in Underworld.
One God mourned his sister far away in Underworld,
one God wished to set her free, burned with love,
Nincubura did not appeal in vain to his kindness.
From dirt and his own near heat, from his fingers
he created two creatures never seen before, loving by love,
named them kurjara and galatura, saviours of his sister,
sent them to Underworld, to the vengeful ruler,
sent them to free the daughter of the Gods from cruel imprisonment.
They flew, they rushed to Underworld, found Ereckigala tormented,
she sat alone, weeping, mourning the husband lately lost,
forgetting the one who had intruded on her grief.
She clutched her stomach, she wailed in pain,
the creatures keened alongside her, comforting her
they were with her through her agonies of pain,
and when her sense returned, she looked with love,
offered them anything they would have as reward
for comforting a widow in a dark time, for love.
They rejected a stream of clear water, turned down a field of corn,
wanted only the daughter of the Gods as payment.
Loathe was Ereckigala to give her up, but for love she did
those wonderful creatures, made of love, made of fire,
they used the life-giving plant, the life-giving water, they restored her,
they used the magic of the Gods, the daughter was reborn.
I awoke to the rivers of the morning, the night behind me,
and with the dark, my pain too vanished, I was found.
The joy of Spring was with me, and I danced
flowers sprang to life beneath my feet, blooming
I sang, and the birds joined me, in a dawn chorus
that threatened to split the world for sheer joy
I was free, alive and whole, returned from Underworld.
My crown and ring, the breastplate called O Come,
my robe of wholeness and marks of power, all lost
lost to the darkness of Underworld forever.
Yet I was whole once more, the fires of pain and love
fused all my sundered pieces into one, I was myself again
made over, purifed of all bad and weak, that perished
in my death-agonies in Underworld, only good
came back to the world once more, I lived.
I lived, and knew the love of others once more,
true love that spares not the fire or the blade
to rescue that which is loved, no friends were ever greater.
The morning shone brightly as I had never seen before,
like the morning of the beginning of the world,
with the pain of creation now in the past.
Underworld is not impenetrable, its gates can be passed,
the pain is great, and the path dangerous to all,
but I lived through it, passed through its tortures,
with love to strengthen me, friends to help me, nothing defeats me.
I am Inana, Queen of the Morning, lioness of the heavens,
lady of all the divine powers, whom no one can defeat in battle,
I am Inana, the heavens are mine and the earth is mine,
protector of those travellers, willing or unwilling,
those who still travel along the paths of Underworld,
and I will bring you into the dawn!
Inana be praised!
You may have noticed that this is an interpretation of the Descent of Inana to the Underworld, an ancient Sumerian work, which can be read online here