In mourning garb he was clothed, in soiled garments
clad.
Shamash [the sun-god] went to Sin [the moon-god], his
father, weeping,
In the presence of Ea, the King, he went with fl owing
tears.
“Ishtar has descended into the earth and has not come
up... .” Ea, in the wisdom of his heart, formed a
being,
He formed Asu-shu-namir the eunuch.
“Go, Asu-shu-namir, to the land of no return direct thy
face!
Th e seven gates of the land without return be opened
before thee,
May Eresbkigal at sight of thee rejoice!
After her heart has been assuaged, her liver quieted,
Invoke against her the name of the great gods,
Raise thy head direct thy attention to the khalziku
skin.”
“Come, lady, let them give me the khalziku skin, that I
may drink water out of it.”
When Ereshkigal heard this, she struck her side, bit her
fi nger,
“Th ou hast expressed a wish that can not be granted.
Go, Asu-sbu-iaamir, I curse thee with a great curse,
Th e sweepings of the gutters of the city be thy food,
Th e drains of the city be thy drink,
Th e shadow of the wall be thy abode,
Th e thresholds be thy dwelling-place;
Drunkard and sot strike thy cheek!”
Ereshkigal opened her mouth and spoke,
To Namtar, her messenger, she addressed herself.
“Go, Namtar, knock at the strong palace,
Strike the threshold of precious stones,
Bring out the Anunnaki, seat them on golden thrones.
Sprinkle Ishtar with the waters of life and take her out
of my presence.”
Namtar went, knocked at the strong palace,
Tapped on the threshold of precious stones.
He brought out the Anunnaki and placed them on
golden thrones,
He sprinkled Ishtar with the waters of life and took hold
of her.
Th rough the fi rst gate he led her out and returned to her
her loin-cloth.
Th rough the second gate he led her out and returned to
her the spangles of her hands and feet
Th rough the third gate he led her out and returned to
her the girdle of her body, studded with birth-stones.
Th rough the fourth gate he led her out and returned to
her the ornaments of her breast.
Th rough the fi fth gate he led her out and returned to her
her necklace.
Th rough the sixth gate he led her out and returned her
earrings.
Th rough the seventh gate he led her out and returned to
her the large crown for her head.From: Morris Jastrow, Th e Civilization
of Babylonia and Assyria: Its Remains,
Language, History, Religion, Commerce,
Law, Art, and Literature (Philadelphia: J.
B. Lippincott, 1915).- Go hence, O Death, pursue thy special pathway
apart from that which gods are wont to travel. To
thee I say it who hast eyes and hearest: touch not our
off spring, injure not our heroes. - As ye have come eff acing Mrityu’s footstep,^ to
farther times prolonging your existence,
May ye be rich in children and possessions, cleansed,
purifi ed, and meet for sacrifi cing. - Divided from the dead are these, the living: now
is our calling on the gods successful
We have come forth for dancing and for laughter,
to farther times prolonging our existence.- Here I erect this rampart for the living, let none
of these, none other reach this limit.
May they survive a hundred lengthened autumns,
and may they bury Death beneath this mountain. - As the days follow days in close succession, as with
the seasons duly come the seasons,
A Vedic Funerary Hymn from the Rig-Veda, Book 10
Asia and the Pacifi c(cont inued)death and burial practices: primary source documents 325