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The Egyptian Heaven and Hell · 82 of 96 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge

Chapter 24 (part 2)

Who the beings in the water are it is impossible exactly to say, but it is clear that they were supposed to have the power to hinder the progress of the Boat of AFU-RA, for Horus propitiates them with promises of health and strength, as we have seen above. A little beyond the lakes are four goddesses who "shed light upon the road of RA in the thick darkness," and in front of them, is the mystic sceptre which represents "SET the Watcher," who "waketh up and travelleth with the god." To the left of the path of AFU-RA we see first the god P-ANKHI, i.e., "he who is endowed with the property of life," and KHEPER-ANKH, in the form of a beetle, who is pushing before him an oval of sand, which either contains his germ, or is intended to represent the ball of eggs which the Scarabaeus sacer rolls before him, and which he wishes to take through the DIVISION into the Eastern Horizon of the sky (vol. i., p. 216). Then we have the two serpents Menenui supporting a disk, and goddesses of the North and South p. 175 [paragraph continues] (vol. i., p. 217). To the right of these are the goddesses NETHETH and KENAT, who spring from the axe SETFIT, which supports a disk. These four goddesses gather together souls on earth, and they purify the mighty spirits in the Tuat; they only become visible when AFU-RA appears, and so soon as he has passed them by they vanish. Beyond these is a long procession of deities who assist AFU-RA in his journey. The first eight, who are goddesses, stand before the Ape-god called AF-ERMEN-MAAT-F, who holds the Eye of Horus, and it is their duty to recite the words of power which shall cause splendour to issue from the Eye of Horus each day, and to sing praises to it (vol. i., pp. 219-221). The other deities only come into being when AFU-RA utters their names; they live in the shades which are in the mouth of the great god, and then their souls travel with him. Their work is to strip the dead of their swathings, and to break in pieces the enemies of Ra, and to order their destruction.
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Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

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

[auto] Gods are described standing on undulations and adjuring, while the serpent KHETI acts with human-like agency (belching fire into faces).

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Correspondencecosmology

The Hermetic axiom that the structure of the cosmos is reflected at every scale — 'as above, so below; as within, so without' — making each level a legible map of the others.

The text links the celestial watery abyss of Nu directly to the supply of the Nile on earth, reflecting cosmic structure at different scales.

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Divine Lighttheology

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

The narrative centers on the Sun-god regaining powers to emerge into the 'light of a new day with glory and splendour'.

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Divine Marriagesoteriology

The reunification of complementary divine principles (male-female, spirit-matter) as a symbol of wholeness and salvation.

The passage highlights the 'union of KHEPERA with RA' as the mechanism for introducing new life and restoring the god's power.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] The text is an excerpt from the Book of Am-Tuat describing divisions of the Tuat (underworld) and dangers faced by souls, which is the definition of funerary navigation texts.

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Living Godtheology

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

[auto] Divine beings like Horus and the gods on the serpent are depicted as active agents who adjure, stand, and aid in destruction.

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Maat Cosmic Ordercosmology

The Egyptian principle of truth, balance, and right order underlying both the cosmos and human conduct; the parallel to Zoroastrian asha and Greek dike.

The structured divisions and protection against enemies reflect the Egyptian principle of maintaining cosmic order against chaos.

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Numerical Mysticismtheology

Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality.

[auto] The text specifies 'seven undulations' of the serpent, indicating a structured numerical significance in the cosmic arrangement.

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Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

[auto] The passage details a specific division of the afterlife (Tenth Division of the Tuat) and the obstacles within it, implying a structured journey through death realms.

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Ritual Puritypraxis

The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.

[auto] The enemies are charged with 'profanation' and dragging sacred objects from sanctuaries, implying a violation of required ritual purity.

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Spiritual Ascentpraxis

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

The journey through the divisions of the Tuat culminates in emerging into the light, representing a movement toward divine restoration.

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Theosis Deificationsoteriology

The doctrine — central to Eastern Orthodox and Maximian theology — that the human person is progressively transformed into a partaker of the divine nature by grace, not merely justified or united in passing ecstasy.

Horus promises beings in the lakes that their members shall not perish and flesh shall not decay, granting them a form of divine immortality.

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Related passages · 7 parallels
christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 2, Section 1n
“200 Redemption is a work performed by the whole Trinity through the Second Person. (So, too, is Creation. Cf. p. 65, n. 2). 201 i. e. We strive to distinguish the two planes of Being in God. Cf. Athan. Creed: “Neither confounding…”
Shared concept: Theosis Deification — The doctrine — central to Eastern Orthodox and Maximian theology — that the human person is progressively transformed into a partaker of the divine nature by grace, not merely justified or united in passing ecstasy. (derived)
neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter III
“According to another order, however, he arranges the God Emeph prior to, and as the leader of, the celestial Gods. And he says that this God is an intellect, itself intellectually perceiving itself, and converting intellections to itself. B…”
Shared concept: Maat Cosmic Order — The Egyptian principle of truth, balance, and right order underlying both the cosmos and human conduct; the parallel to Zoroastrian asha and Greek dike. (derived)
western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXII (part 13)
“Then the understanding of such a man receives from the Holy Spirit the highest and hidden mysteries which according to the divine Paul, neither the human eye can understand nor the human reason comprehend unaided. (Ii Corinthians ii, 9).…”
Shared concept: Divine Light — The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation. (derived)
western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|Qabbalistic Keys to the Creation of Man-i
“One school of thought affirms that the human soul was actually divided into two parts (male and female) and that man remains an unperfected creature until these parts are reunited through the emotion which man calls love . From this concep…”
Shared concept: Divine Marriage — The reunification of complementary divine principles (male-female, spirit-matter) as a symbol of wholeness and salvation. (derived)
renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part II (Gli Eroici Furori)|First Dialogue-m
“Thus everything has an impetus towards its beginning retrogressively, and progressively towards its end and perfection, as Empedocles well said, and from which sentence I think may be inferred that which the Nolan said in this octave: The s…”
Shared concept: Spiritual Ascent — A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source. (derived)
theosophy|The Secret Doctrine|Page 18 (part 6)
“Starting from this, it becomes easy to understand how nature herself could have taught primeval mankind, even without the help of its divine instructors, the first principles of a numerical and geometrical symbol language.* Hence one finds…”
Shared concept: Numerical Mysticism — Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality. (derived)
neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 67
“Section 6 6. For, as the ancient teaching was, moral-discipline and courage and every virtue, not even excepting Wisdom itself, all is purification. Hence the Mysteries with good reason adumbrate the immersion of the unpurified in filth, ev…”
Shared concept: Ritual Purity — The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine. (derived)