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Though evil did Marduk instigate, by ill fate, not by Marduk's hand, did Dumuzi die;
Marduk is my firstborn, Ninki is his mother, for succession he is destined,
From death by Ninurta's gang by us all he must be protected! So did Enki say.
Only Gibil and Ninagal their father's call heeded; Ningishzidda was opposed,
Nergal was hesitant: Only if in mortal danger he will be will I help! he said.
It was after that that a war, of ferocity unknown, between the two clans erupted.
Unlike the contending of Horon and Satu, of Earthlings descended, it was:
A battle between Anunnaki, Nibiruan-born among them, on another planet was loosed.
By Inanna was the warfare begun, in her skyship to the domains of Enki's sons she crossed
over;
Marduk to battle she challenged, to the domains of Ninagal and Gibil she him pursued.
To assist her Ninurta from his Storm Bird withering beams at the enemy's strongholds shot,
Ishkur from the skies with scorching lightnings and smashing thunders attacked.
In the Abzu from the rivers fish he washed away, cattle in the fields he dispersed.
To the north, the place of the artificed mounts, Marduk then retreated;
Pursuing him, Ninurta on the habitations poison-bearing missiles rained.
His Weapon That Tears Apart the people in those lands robbed of their senses,
The canals that the river's waters bore, red from blood became;
Ishkur's brilliances the nights' darkness into flaming days converted.
As the devastating battles northward advanced, Marduk in the Ekur himself ensconced,
Gibil for it an unseen shield devised, Nergal to heaven its all-seeing eye raised.
With a Weapon of Brilliance, by a horn directed, Inanna the hiding place attacked;
Horon to defend his grandfather came; by her Brilliance was his right eye damaged.
While Utu the Igigi and their horde of Earthlings beyond Tilmun held off,
At the foot of the artificed mounts Anunnaki, this and that clan supporting, in battle clashed.
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Let Marduk surrender, let the bloodshed end! So did Enlil to Enki words convey;
Let brother talk to brother! to Enki Ninharsag a message sent.
In his hideout, within the Ekur, Marduk his pursuers to defy continued,
Within the House Which Like a Mountain Is his final stand he made.
Inanna the massive stone structure could not surmount, its smooth sides her weapons
deflected.
Then Ninurta of the secret entrance learned, the swivel stone on the north side he found!
Through a dark corridor Ninurta passed, the grand gallery he reached,
Its vault by the many-hued emissions of the crystals like a rainbow was aglitter.
Inside, by the intrusion alerted, Marduk with ready weapons Ninurta awaited;
With weapons responding, smashing the wonder crystals, Ninurta up the gallery kept going.
Into the upper chamber, the place of the Great Pulsating Stone, Marduk retreated,
At its entrance Marduk the sliding stone locks lowered; from one and all admission they barred.
Into the Ekur Inanna and Ishkur Ninurta followed; what next to do they contemplated.
Let the encased hiding chamber be Marduk's stone coffin! to them Ishkur said.
To three blocking stones, ready for down gliding, Ishkur their attention drew.
Let slow death, by alive being buried, be Marduk's sentence! Inanna her consent gave.
At the end of the gallery, the three the blocking stones let loose,
Each one of them one stone for plugging slid down, Marduk as in a tomb to seal.
Now this is the account of how Marduk was saved and to exile departed,
And how the Ekur was dismantled and lordship over the lands rearranged.
Away from the Sun and light, without food or water, Marduk within the Ekur alive was
entombed;
By his imprisonment and punishment without trial Sarpanit, his spouse, a wailing raised.
To Enki her father-in-law she hurried, with the young son Nabu to him she came.
To be among the living Marduk must be returned! to Enki Sarpanit said.
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He sent her to Utu and Nannar, who with Inanna can intercede.
Wearing a garment of atonement, To the lord Marduk give life! she pleaded.
Let him humbly life continue, rulership he will lay aside!
Appeased was not Inanna, For the death of my beloved, the Instigator must die! Inanna
retorted.
Ninharsag, the peacemaker, the brothers Enki and Enlil summoned,
Punishment to Marduk must come, death is not warranted! to them she said.
Let Marduk in exile live, the succession on Earth to Ninurta submit!
Enlil by her words was pleased and smiled: Ninurta was his son, of Ninurta she was the mother!
If between succession and life the choice is, what can I, a father, say?
So did Enki with heavy heart answer. In my lands widespread is the desolation,
Warfare must end, for Dumuzi I am still in mourning; let Marduk live in exile!
If peace is to be returned and Marduk shall live, binding arrangements must be made! Enlil to
Enki said.
All facilities that heaven and Earth bond, to my hands alone must be entrusted,
The mastery over the Land of the Two Narrows to another son of yours you must give.
The Igigi who Marduk follow, the Landing Place must give up and abandon,
To a Land of No Return, by no descendant of Ziusudra inhabited, must Marduk in exile go!
So did Enlil forcefully declare, to be foremost among the brothers he meant.
The hand of fate Enki in his heart acknowledged: Let it so be! with bowed head he said.
Ningishzidda alone the Ekur innards knows; let him over its land the master be!
After the decisions by the Great Anunnaki were announced, Ningishzidda for the rescue they
summoned.
How Marduk from the blocked and sealed innards to extricate was his challenge;
To let free the one who alive is buried, a task beyond conceiving to him they gave.
Ningishzidda the Ekur's secret designs contemplated, how to circumvent the blockings he
planned:
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Through a chiseled upper opening Marduk will be rescued! to the leaders he said.
At a place which I will show them, a doorway in the stones they will cut,
From it upward a twisting passageway they shall bore, a rescue shaft creating.
Through hidden hollowings to the Ekur's midst they will continue,
At the vortex of the hollowings through the stones they will break through.
A doorway to the insides they will blow open, thereby the blockings circumventing;
Up the grand gallery they will continue, the three stone bars they will raise,
The uppermost chamber, Marduk's death prison, they will reach!
Anunnaki, by Ningishzidda guided, his outlined plan then followed,
With tools that crack the stones the opening they made, the rescue shaft they fashioned,
The insides of the artificed mount they reached, an exit they blew open.
Circumventing the three blocking stones, the uppermost chamber they reached.
On a small platform the portcullises they raised; Marduk, fainted, they rescued.
Carefully through the twisting shaft they the lord lowered, to fresh air they him brought;
Outside Sarpanit and Nabu spouse and father were awaiting; a joyful reunion it was.
When to Marduk his father Enki the terms of release conveyed,
Marduk was enraged: I would rather die than my birthright forfeit! he shouted.
Sarpanit into his arms Nabu thrust. We are part of your future! she softly said.
Marduk was angered, Marduk was humbled. To Fate I yield! he inaudibly said.
With Sarpanit and Nabu to a Land of No Return he departed,
To a place where horned beasts are hunted with wife and son he went
After Marduk had departed, Ninurta the Ekur through the shaft reentered,
Through a horizontal corridor to the Ekur's vulva he went.
In its east wall, in a niche artfully fashioned, the Destiny Stone a red radiance was emitting.
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Its power to kill me grabs, with a killing tracking it me seizes! Ninurta inside the chamber cried.
Take it away! To obliteration destroy it. to his lieutenants Ninurta shouted.
Retracing his steps, through the grand gallery to the topmost chamber Ninurta went,
In a hollowed-out chest the heart of the Ekur pulsated, its netforce by five compartments was
enhanced.
With his baton Ninurta the stone chest struck; with a resonating sound it responded.
Its Gug Stone, that directions determined, Ninurta ordered to be taken out, to a place of his
choice carried.
Coming down the grand gallery, Ninurta the twenty-seven pairs of Nibiru crystals examined.
Many in his fight with Marduk were damaged; some the struggle intact survived.
To remove the whole ones from their grooves Ninurta ordered, the others with his beam he
pulverized.
Outside the House Which Like a Mountain Is Ninurta in his Black Bird soared,
To the Apex Stone his attention he turned; his enemy's epitome it represented.
With his weapons he shook it loose, to the ground in pieces it toppled.
By this the fear of Marduk is forever ended! Ninurta, victorious, declared.
On the battleground the assembled Anunnaki the praise of Ninurta announced:
Like Anu you are made! to their hero and leader they shouted.
To replace the incapacitated beacon a mount near the Place of the Celestial Chariots was
chosen,
Within its innards the salvaged crystals were rearranged.
Upon its peak the Gug Stone, the Stone of Directing, was installed;
Mount Mashu, Mount of the Supreme Celestial Barque, the mount was called.
At that time Enlil his three sons summoned; Ninlil and Ninharsag also attended.
Commands over olden lands to confirm, lordships over new lands to assign they met.
To Ninurta, who Anzu and Marduk had vanquished, the Enlilship powers were granted,
In all the lands his father's surrogate to be.
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