Journey of the Sun
We all know how day and night works. The Earth rotates and revolves around the sun, and the explanation goes on…
It's all very scientific and straightforward.
But as we know, we didn’t always have these facts presented to us. Don’t get me wrong, it's good that we have all the facts, but I do live for a good story!
It's interesting to read the stories and myths of those belonging to the bygone civilizations and worlds who came up with their theories to understand the mysteries of nature.
My favorite one is the journey that the sun god Ra takes on daily to give the Egyptians their day and night.
Ra was the most important deity of Ancient Egypt. He was the main solar deity and according to the Heliopolitan view (on cosmogony), was also responsible for the creation of the world.
He was hailed as a powerful ruler who protected Maat (order) against the evil serpent of chaos known as Apophis.
He was the first king of the gods and ruled over Egypt for a long time. He was soon forced to give up the throne to Osiris (Isis tricked Ra into forfeiting the throne, but that’s a story for another article).
He retreated to the heavens and focused on his role as the main sun god and sailed across the heavens every day, providing sunlight and warmth to those below him.
The boat he sailed on was known as “The Barque of a Million Suns”. In the mornings it was Manzet (becoming strong) and in the evenings it was called Mesektet (becoming weak).
This is the part which I find particularly interesting. As he goes through the day, he undergoes 3 transformations-:
- In the mornings, he is Khepri- the newly-born sun of dawn. Khepri was represented as a scarab beetle
- In the afternoons, he becomes Ra- the powerful young man with a falcon head that we all know.
- By evening, he transforms into Atum- an old man with a cane.
During the day, he travels through 12 kingdoms of different solar deities- Maat, Hu, Sia, Asbet, Igaret, Set, Horus, Khonsu, Isis, and Heka.
As he nears the end of the day, he dies and is swallowed by Nut (the sky goddess), where he travels through the Duat (Underworld) to be reborn as Khepri again. In short, he goes through a cycle of renewal each day.
Though the day has ended in Ancient Egypt, Ra’s journey has not finished. Ra is now dead but the boat will continue to the Duat. The Afterlife is divided into 12 regions, guarded by a gate (for each hour of the night). The god is taken care of by the 12 goddesses of the night (for each region) and by other gods of the pantheon as well.
(The goddesses had pretty cool and long names!)
Watercourse of Ra-:
The perils of the first hour of the night were taken care of by the night goddess Sau (Smiter of the Heads of the Enemies of Ra). She defended the boat against six serpents who could spew flames. After this, the boat slowly moves till it reaches the gate of the second hour
Ur-ness-:
The goddess of the second hour (The Wise Protector of Her Lord) takes over and guides the boat. Ra is the king of this region, and the shades of those who have died live here. According to legends, gods such as Bes (dwarf god) and Nepra (god of grain) reside here.
Watercourse of the only God:-
The goddess of the third hour (She Who Slices Souls) leads the boat through Amentet, the kingdom of Osiris (God of the Underworld). This is the region where the dead undergo Judgement.
Living one of Forms:-
The goddess of the fourth hour(Great in Her Powers) takes charge through the domain of Sokar (a variation of Osiris). The River of the Night disappears into a ravine and is hidden behind shifting sands. She cooly transforms the boat into a great serpent and traverses the region.
Hidden:-
The goddess of the fifth hour (She Who is in Her Boat) takes over through another region ruled by Sokar. Here we find the god himself in his monstrous glory. Sokar punishes the rebellious ones while protecting Khepera (The Great Soul, the beetle will help in the re-birth of Ra) who resides in the Realm of Night and Darkness. Khepera now joins the crew in their journey through the Duat.
Abyss of Waters:-
The sixth goddess (Proficient Leader) takes her place and transforms the serpent back into a boat as the River of the Night reappears. This region is under the dominion of Osiris. As the boat sails on, mystical creatures and mysterious shapes stand on the two sides of the river and sing praises to the dead god. Khepera is placed on the head of Ra as the boat will now move to the point of sunrise.
Secret Cavern:-
The responsibility of the boat now falls to the shoulders of the seventh goddess (She Who Repels the Forces of Chaos and Decapitates the Savage-Faced). This is also the region where the boat comes face-to-face with the serpent Apophis (The serpent of evil and chaos), who wishes to kill Ra and destroy the world. Isis (the goddess of magic) uses her abilities and creates the serpent Mehen to protect the sun god and defeat the enemy. The gods Selket (goddess of the dead) and Her-desuf (variation of Horus) leap from the boat and attack him as well.
They can wound, weaken, and bind him, but unfortunately, they can never kill him. The boat sails on and the night is ready to transition into day.
Sarcophagus of the Gods:-
The eighth goddess (The Coffer of Her Deities) takes charge of the boat. This region is aptly named as the dead gods of Egypt dwell here. They shout praises and prayers to Ra. The boat is now followed by a procession of a mysterious group known as the Nine Followers of the Gods. The four rams known as Tanaten march ahead of the boat.
Procession of Images:-
The ninth goddess (The Wise Protector of Her Lord) made her appearance as the boat continued. The river runs strong and the boat is trusted forward. The goddesses take paddles to guide the boat against the rough waters while more gods sing praises of Ra. The dead reside in this region and receive offerings made by the living.
Abyss of Waters, Lofty of Banks:-
The tenth goddess (The Raging One, Who Boils the Rebel Alive) takes her position and guides the boat. More dwellers and warriors come near the river to welcome Ra. Four goddesses appear and lighten the way (signaling the first rays of sunlight). The Morningstar (two-headed snake with legs) moves before the boat, protecting Ra from his enemies.
Khepera finally fuses with the soul of Ra, but the king is still dead (i.e. not rejuvenated.
Mouth of the Cavern:-
The eleventh goddess (The Instructor, Lady of the Sacred Boat, at Whose Emergence the Rebels are Punished) takes over the helm. The river loses its momentum and the snake Mehen tows the boat forward. This region is a dark and evil region of the Duat as evil-doers are punished for their sins. Atum (a version of Ra) watches over the boat and guides the boat with a gentle breeze.
Darkness has Fallen and Births Shine Forth:-
The twelfth goddess (Who Sees the Beauty of Ra) takes charge of the final bit of the journey. This region is unique as it is not geographical, but it takes place in the body of a serpent known as the Life of the Gods. Twelve worshippers of Ra tow the boat to the end. It is here that Khepera awakes the soul and Ra is reborn as Khepri. The old body of Ra’ is thrown out of the boat as the ship spills out of the mouth of the serpent and emerges from the mountain of Bhaku.
The one aspect of this story that resonates with me is the monotony of his journey. Alongside the other gods, he painstakingly goes through the circle of life and rebirth every day to provide order to the system.
He never breaks from this cycle. If he does, Apophis and chaos would break loose and the world would be destroyed.
We get to break out of our boring routines every now and then, but poor Ra is stuck forever in a loop of pain and adversities…
If you want to read more about the Egyptian gods and myths, I recommend Joyce Tyldesley’s book The Penguin Book of Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt. It is a great read and explains the nature of the Ancient Egyptian Pantheon in detail.
