Shrine of Osiris
Asar [Osiris]
The god of the dead, and the god of the resurrection into eternal life; ruler, protector, and judge of the deceased. His following originated in Abydos, where his actual tomb was said to be located.
Asar is the first child of Nut and Geb, thus the brother of Set, Nebt-het, and Ast, who is also his wife. By Ast he fathered Heru, and according to some stories, Nebt-het assumed the form of Ast, seduced him thus, and from their union was born Anpu.
Asar ruled the world of men in the beginning, after Ra had left the world to rule the skies, but he was murdered by his brother Set. Through the magic of Ast, he was made to live again. Being the first person to die, he subsequently became lord of the dead. His death was avenged by his son Heru, who defeated Set and cast him out into the desert to the West of Ta-mera.
Prayers and spells were addressed to Asar throughout Ta-meran history, in hopes of securing his blessing and entering the afterlife which he rules; but his popularity steadily increased through the Middle Kingdom. By Dynasty 18 he was probably the most widely worshipped god in Ta-mera. His popularity endured until the latest phases of Ta-meran history; reliefs still exist of Roman emperors, military conquerors of Ta-mera, dressed in the traditional garb of the Pharaohs, making offerings to him in the temples.
[From original Temple of Osiris of MSN Groups, 2001-2009.]
M7 2009.
AMDUAT - The Book of the Hidden Chamber, c. 1500 BCE
The "Book of the Dead," more properly the "Book of Coming Forth by Day" (Pert Em Hru), was for anyone. The Amduat, however, was reserved for Kings and High Priests. It describes the journey of the deceased through the underworld, identified not only with Osiris (Asar), but also with the journey of the Sun through the hours of the night to Dawn. Thus the dangers faced by the Sun during the night mirror the dangers faced by the dead king as he struggles against enemies to re-integrate himself on his journey to rebirth. Just as the Sun "dies" in the West and must make the perilous voyage through the Night Country to be reborn in the East, so too must the deceased pass through the "Hidden Chamber," the "Immense City" of the Netherworld, the Land of the Dead, and vanquish his foes with the help of his spiritual guardians to avoid being turned upside down and forced to eat his own excrement, eventually to come forth by day and be renewed as the Living God. The journey is divided into 12 hours: each of which is divided from the next by great gates which are guarded by sentries, the Dwellers on the Threshold. The deceased must address each one by name, for the names are themselves keys to the gates. Each is one of our fears: "The One Who Loves To Cut Off Heads," "The One Who Sprays Fire With His Eye," etc.I
The First Hour is an intermediary land, equivalent to twilight, Limbo. It ends with the Gate That Swallows All, i.e., the actual entrance to the Land of the Dead ("Through me..." - Dante). Here we meet our divine companions: the Gods, Goddesses, solar baboons, uraeus serpents, and so on, who will accompany us on our journey and offer guidance, assistance, magical protection, and strength of arms against the fiends who seek to prevent us. Standing amidships in the "Barque of Millions" on the heavenly Nile, we are identified with Re adorned with the ram's head, identifying us with His Ba or soul. Another image identifies us with Khepera, who symbolizes the night-Sun. Hathor (Het-Heru), the cow-headed Goddess, whose name means "House of Horus," is our guide, and among our companions are Maat, Osiris, Sekhmet, Horus (Hru), Khnum, Sobek, Thoth, (Djehuti), Amun, Isis (Aset), Nepthys (Nebt-het), and the four sons of Horus.
II
The Second Hour is the beginning of the actual underworld. We sail our Solar Barque through the "fertile fields," the famous "Fields of Reeds in the West." Around us we see a myriad of other boats like ours, each bearing someone recently deceased. On the shores, farmers harvest fertile wheat fields.
III
In the Third Hour, we see more watery fields, but the light is fading quickly as we go deeper. There are no fields of grain to be seen, we are in a wilderness of papyrus marshes. Our helplessness increases, and our guardians bear knives to ward off fiends who begin to threaten us. The sounds of lamentation increase, wailings heard distantly through the gloom. We speak with the few inhabitants we encounter, who greet us joyously.
IV
Entering the Fourth Hour, we come to the desert of Ro-Setau ("Restau" in Budge's translation). The river upon which we were traveling has become a barren land full of swift and treacherous serpents (shown with legs and wings), and the other boats have all been turned back; we alone are strong and righteous enough to go on. The land is full of whirlwinds of fire. Our path has become a zigzag repeatedly blocked by doors to be opened. Our barque must be towed, and has become a great serpent with fiery breath to pierce the gloom and ward off enemies. We cannot see our guardians through the murk, only the occasional glow of the enemies with fire-spitting serpents as heads who threaten us. But we are accompanied nonetheless, and comforted by Thoth and Sokar. At the end of the hour, the sky suddenly splits momentarily to briefly reveal the Heavens, perhaps to afford us a glimpse of hope.
V
In the Fifth Hour the gloomy desert continues. We have reached the Land of the West. Utter darkness is all around us. There is a burial mound with two birds of lamentation; they are Isis and Nepthys. We must pass into and through it, emerging as the great scarab. Thus the barrow is also a dunghill. Butchers and serpents threaten us on either side of the hill. Seven male and seven female deities pull the tow rope, as does Khepera from above. We then pass into the Cavern of Sokar, within the double-facing Aker Sphinx. Below us is a pit, within which is a lake. To the righteous is it a lake of life, where the dead draw ears of corn; to the wicked, however, it is the lake of everlasting fire, the depth of eternal torment.
VI
Entering the Sixth Hour, we reach the depths of the netherworld. Before us we see a vast hole where the primeval waters of Chaos lie. Here we must be re-united with all our parts: body, soul (ba), shadow (khaibit), name, akh or "body of light," (khu in Crowley's translation), etc. All have come together to aid in this re-integration: the Gods and Goddesses, the Kings of Upper and Lower Egypt, the lion-headed "bull of thunderous voice," and others. In the "Place of Destruction," the Hetemyt, the individual components of error and wrongdoing are burnt away. In this place of ultimate darkness, the purifying fire consumes and transforms being to non-being, and thence to new being. The heads of the enemies are struck off, and we are made whole. Our atonement is complete.
VII
Arriving at the Seventh Hour, we are renewed but still vulnerable. We shine once again, self-luminous, though as yet weakly. Apophis (Apep), the great enemy, attempts once again to stop our passage; that is, to halt the process of evolution. He drains the river of Life upon which our barque/bier journeys, creating a sandbar upon which we run aground, but Isis and Set place a spell upon him, Selket chains him, and the guardians cut him to pieces. The enemies are fettered and decapitated such that they can never again be reunited with their Bas and Shadows: our former fears and weaknesses are vanquished. We have revived, we begin to grow stronger, we are more and more Re as Khepera, less and less Re as Osiris. We are enthroned as the "Horus of the Underworld." Twelve starry Gods and twelve starry Goddesses rejoice to welcome us to their number, and Sobek swims up with the missing head of Osiris. Accompanied by Heka, Magick, and Sia, Mind, we pass on.
VIII
In the Eighth Hour, we must pass through five caverns, where the deities robe us with divine vestments of righteousness in pure white linen. We pass from one to the next, endowed with the pass-word of life. As we call it out, sound returns to the land once silent. Cries of animals, sounds of nature, of daily life, are heard once again.
IX
In the Ninth Hour, we are introduced to the ship's company, starry deities who sail our barque and protect us. We are nourished with bread and beer, and watch as our vanquished enemies are judged and sent to perdition.
X
Arriving at the Tenth Hour, we begin to pick up momentum. We pass through living waters, and see the blessed souls therein. Above us is the restored eye of Horus. We are accompanied by the Circle of Gods, and guarded by a company of archers.
XI
In the Eleventh Hour, preparations are made for the emergence from the Eastern mountain of Heaven. We see the great serpent that encircles the world, within whose circle the miracle of rejuvenation will soon take place. Isis and Nepthys carry the crowns of the Two Kingdoms to the Eastern Gate, guarded by Neith. We are the Master of Time. Our enemies have been judged and fallen into the pit of fire. We are ready, and at the appropriate moment go forth...
XII
Finally, we have come to the Twelfth Hour. The new birth of the Sun takes place. It is a repetition of the very act of Creation: All the primeval deities are in attendance. It takes place within the coil of the world-encircling serpent of Time, and we in our barque are towed through him, from tail to mouth, by all the Gods and Goddesses. In the barque with us are all the millions of righteous, reborn with us: they enter as old people and emerge as babes.
At the end of the hour, the solar beetle flies upward into the arms of Shu, who raises the new sun to the sky. All the Gods cheer and greet us. The passage behind us is sealed once more, and the night-journey is complete. A new day has begun.
[Unknown source: public domain; from Temple of Osiris.]
HYMN TO ASAR UN-NEFER
A Hymn of Praise to Asar Un-Nefer, the great god who dwelleth in Abtu, the king of eternity, the lord of everlastingness, who traverseth millions of years in his existence. Thou art the eldest son of the womb of Nut. Thou was begotten by Keb, the Erpat. Thou art the lord of the Urrt Crown. Thou art he whose White Crown is lofty. Thou art the King of gods and men. Thou hast gained possession of the sceptre of rule, and the whip, and the rank and dignity of thy divine fathers. Thy heart is expanded with joy, O thou who art in the kingdom of the dead.
Thy son Heru is firmly placed on thy throne. Thou hast ascended thy throne as the Lord of Tetu, and as the Heq who dwelleth in Abtu. Thou makest the Two Lands to flourish through Truth-speaking, in the presence of him who is the Lord to the Uttermost Limit. Thou drawest on that which hath not yet come into being in thy name of "Ta-her-sta-nef." Thou governest the Two Lands by Maat in thy name of "Seker." Thy power is wide-spread, thou art he of whom the fear is great in thy name of "Asar." Thy existence endureth for an infinite number of double henti periods in thy name of "Un-Nefer."
Homage to thee, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and Prince of Princes. Thou hast ruled the Two Lands from the womb of the goddess Nut. Thou hast governed the Lands of Akert. Thy members are of silver-gold, thy head is of lapis-lazuli, and the crown of thy head is of turquoise. Thou art An of millions of years. Thy body is all pervading, O Beautiful Face in Ta-tchesert.
Grant thou to me glory in heaven, and power upon earth, and truth-speaking in the Divine Underworld, and the power to sail down the river to Tetu in the form of a living Ba-soul, and the power to sail up the river to Abtu in the form of a Benu bird, and the power to pass in through and to pass out from, without obstruction, the doors of the lords of the Tuat.
Let there be given unto me bread-cakes in the House of Refreshing, and sepulchral offerings of cakes and ale, and propitiatory offerings in Anu, and a permanent homestead in Sekhet-Aaru, with wheat and barley therein- to the Doubles of the Asar, the loyal servants in his name!
M7
