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The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 265 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge

Chapter 43 (part 26)

Vignette: The deceased being weighed against his heart in the balance in the presence of Osiris, "the great god, the prince of eternity." Chapter XXXI. The Chapter of repulsing the crocodile which cometh to carry the magical words ### from a man in the underworld. Vignette: The deceased spearing a crocodile. Chapter XXXII. [The Chapter of] coming to carry the magical words from a man in the underworld. This Chapter has no vignette. Chapter XXXIII. The Chapter of repulsing reptiles of all kinds. Vignette: The deceased attacking four snakes with a knife in each hand. Chapter XXXIV. The Chapter of a man not being bitten by a serpent in the hall of the tomb.[3] This Chapter has no vignette. Chapter XXXV. The Chapter of not being eaten by worms in the underworld. [1. Two variants (Naville, Todtenbuch , Bd. I., Bl. 38) show the deceased sitting before his heart, and the deceased presenting his heart to a triad of gods. 2. Or the deceased adoring his heart; see also Naville, Todtenbuch , Bd. I., Bl. 42. 3 ### amihat .] {p. xxxv} Theban version: list of chapters. Vignette: Three serpents. Chapter XXXVI. The Chapter of repulsing the tortoise. ( apsai ). Vignette: The deceased spearing a beetle.[1] Chapter XXXVII. The Chapter of repulsing the two merti . Vignette: Two uræi, which represent the two eyes of Ra. Chapter XXXVIII A . The Chapter of living upon the air which is in the underworld. Vignette: The deceased holding a sail, emblematic of air. Chapter XXXVIII B . The Chapter of living upon air and of repulsing the two merti . Vignette: The deceased attacking three serpents, a knife in his right hand and a sail in his left. Chapter XXXIX. The Chapter of repulsing the serpent in the underworld. Vignette: The deceased spearing a serpent. Chapter XL. The Chapter of repulsing the eater of the ass. Vignette: The deceased spearing a serpent which is biting the neck of all ass. Chapter XLI. The Chapter of doing away with the wounding of the eyes in the underworld. Vignette: The deceased holding a knife in the right hand and a roll in the left. Chapter XLII. [The Chapter] of doing away with slaughter in Suten-henen. Vignette: A man holding a serpent.[2] Chapter XLIII. The Chapter of not allowing the head of a man to be cut off from him in the underworld. This Chapter has no vignette. Chapter XLIV. The Chapter of not dying a second time. This Chapter has no vignette. Chapter XLV. The Chapter of not seeing corruption. This Chapter has no vignette. Chapter XLVI. The Chapter of not decaying, and of living in the underworld. This Chapter has no vignette. Chapter XLVII. The Chapter of not carrying off the place (or seat) of the throne from a man in the underworld. [1. Or the deceased holding a knife and staff and standing before ###. 2. For the variant vignettes see Naville, Todtenbuch , Bd. I., III. 57.] {p. xxxvi} Theban version: list of chapters. This Chapter has no vignette. Chapter XLVIII. [The Chapter of a man coming against] his enemies. This Chapter has no vignette. Chapter XLIX.* The Chapter of a man coming forth against his enemies in the underworld. Vignette: A man standing with a staff in his hand. Chapter L.
Themes
◆Prayerpraxis

Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.

The text includes hymns of praise and glorifyings addressed to Ra and other deities.

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◆Theurgypraxis

Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.

Rituals such as opening the mouth and protecting the heart are described as magical actions to effect change in the divine realm.

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◇Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

[auto] Vignettes describe the god spearing a serpent and the deceased adoring him in human-like forms.

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◇Divine Lighttheology

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

[auto] Ra is identified with the sun disk, rising and setting, representing divine luminosity.

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◇Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] The text explicitly outlines chapters for passing through the underworld and guiding the deceased after death.

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◇Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

[auto] The text references a 'hidden Chapter' and 'secret places', implying esoteric knowledge.

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◇Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

[auto] Ra is depicted as active in settling, rising, and being adored by the deceased.

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◇Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

[auto] Descriptions of passing through secret places of the underworld and coming out by day indicate a guided soul journey.

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◇Spiritual Ascentpraxis

A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.

[auto] The text describes coming out from the underworld and transforming into a living soul.

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Related passages · 3 parallels
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 10 (part 4)
“Therefore the Word and the bruiser of the head of the serpent did not enter into form within their souls; but it stood within the mind to oppose the devils and the kingdom of hell with those that were willing to surrender themselves to it."…”
Both passages deal with the theme of overcoming evil or negative forces, with the Egyptian Book of the Dead focusing on repulsing various creatures and serpents in the underworld, and the Christian mystical text discussing the battle against the devil and the kingdom of hell, symbolized by the serpent. Both traditions use symbolic imagery to convey the struggle against evil and the quest for spiritual preservation or redemption.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 12 (part 8)
“2 "It is erroneous to suppose that the soul of Christ had left the body and had travelled down to hell, and that it had there, in divine power, attacked the devils and bound them with chains, and thus destroyed hell. It is rather to be und…”
Both passages deal with the theme of overcoming death and the underworld. In Passage A, the deceased uses various spells and rituals to protect themselves from the dangers of the underworld, while in Passage B, Christ's soul enters into death and the wrath of God, reconciling it with love and imprisoning the devil. Both traditions describe a struggle against the forces of death and the underworld, but from different cultural and theological perspectives.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 14 (part 7)
“This light moderates the action of the fiery will still active in them, the blessings of their good deeds surround them, the hope for still greater glorification is their life, and from the trouble and persecution which they have suffered t…”
Both passages discuss the journey of the soul after death and the importance of deeds and virtues in the afterlife. They share a common theme of transformation and glorification in the afterlife, though they come from different mystical traditions.