Ra

Basic Information / General Synopsis:

Ra

Comes first in the second class of deities. The Greeks identified him with their own sun-god, Helios, and called the city in which he was principally worshipped Heliopolis. He is represented with a hawk’s head, over which is the solar disc. His purely physical origin seems to be proved by the myths that Neith, or the upper air, was his mother; and that he married Mut (Demeter): This merely signifying the interaction of earth and sunlight in producing vegetation. But again, Ra was said to have for children Athor, Mu, and Mat. Athor was identified with Aphrodite, who was originally the goddess of light; while Mu means physical light, and Mat moral light. Precisely the same transition in meaning happens in the story of Neith, and in that of Athene, Ahana, Ushas, and Eos. The wide prevalence of this god’s worship shows in what importance he was held, an importance naturally attaching to the sun-god among all nations given to elemental worship. From Ra, with the prefixed syllable Pi, was derived the name Phra, or in the Old Testament spelling, Pharaoh. Every Pharaoh was thus entitled son of the sun. All this suggests that Sabaeism, or fire-worship, was originally practised in Egypt. Ra is also identical with Baal, a name implying “lord,” and applied to the sun. Baalbek means “city of the sun,” and was so named by the Greeks – Heliopolis. (e)

RA:  Ra (Amon-Ra, Re) is the Egyptian sun god who is mentioned extensively in the BOOK OF THE DEAD.  The ancient text contains rituals and rites to appease him and curry his favor in the world to come.  According to the belief, Ra rose in the morning in an enchanted boat.  His journey continued across the sky, and in the evening - when the earth was dark - Ra traveled to the underworld dispensing food, comfort, and encouragement to the dead.  His very presence soothes the deceased spirits as they negotiated the perils of the afterlife and seek repose in heaven.  The "blessed" of Ra reside in SEKHET-AARU, one of the stops on the god's daily journey through the cosmos.

In some legends, Ra is the supreme deity and head of the Egyptian pantheon.  Many early rulers claimed to be the sons of Ra or even his human incarnation.  At the height of the god's cult worship, the high priests of Ra had power surpassing that of the pharaohs.  They could "mark" a spirit or invoke the anger of the deity against those who angered or offended them, and such tainted souls would then be barred forever from paradise.

Ra lost prominence during Egypt's sixth dynasty, when the god OSIRIS (a historical figure believed to have been deified after his murder) was hailed as ruler of the land of the dead.  ISIS, Osiris's sister-wife, placed a magic spell on Ra that transferred many of his powers to her husband.  In the ensuing years Ra faded from importance, although he continued to serve as a comforter to departed spirits in the court of Osiris. (p)

Amun

Variant spellings: Amon, Amen, Ammon, Amoun

Amun's name means "The Hidden One." Amun was the patron deity of the city of Thebes from earliest times, and was viewed (along with his consort Amunet) as a primordial creation-deity by the priests of Hermopolis. His sacred animals were the goose and the ram.

Up to the Middle Kingdom Amun was merely a local god in Thebes; but when the Thebans had established their sovereignty in Egypt, Amun became a prominent deity, and by Dynasty 18 was termed the King of the Gods. His famous temple, Karnak, is the largest religious structure ever built by man. According to Budge, by Dynasty 19 or 20, Amun was thought of as "an invisible creative power which was the source of all life in heaven, and on the earth, and in the great deep, and in the Underworld, and which made itself manifest under the form of Ra." Additionally, Amun appears to have been the protector of any pious devotee in need.

Amun was self-created, according to later traditions; according to the older Theban traditions, Amun was created by Thoth as one of the eight primordial deities of creation (Amun, Amunet, Heq, Heqet, Nun, Naunet, Kau, Kauket).

During the New Kingdom, Amun's consort was Mut, "Mother," who seems to have been the Egyptian equivalent of the "Great Mother" archetype. Their child was the moon god Khons. (1)

More Information: 

http://touregypt.net/featurestories/re.htm

http://www.kemet.org/glossary/ra.html

http://www.kemet.org/glossary/ra-heru-akhety.html

Homage to thee, O thou who risest in the horizon as Ra,
thou restest upon law unchangeable and unalterable. Thou
passest over the sky, and every face watcheth thee and thy
course, for thou hast been hidden from their gaze. Thou dost
show thyself at dawn and at eventide day by day. The Sektet*
boat, wherein is the Majesty, goeth forth with light; thy beams
are upon all faces; the [number] of red and yellow rays
cannot be known, nor can thy bright beams be told. The lands
of the gods, and the lands of Punt* must be seen, ere that which
is hidden [in thee] may be measured. Alone and by thyself thou
dost manifest thyself when thou comest into being above Nu*.
May I advance, even as thou dost advance; may I never cease to
go forward as thou never ceasest to go forward, even though it be
for a moment; for with strides thou dost in one little moment
pass over the spaces which would need millions and millions of
years [for men to pass over; this] thou doest and then thou dost
sink to rest. Thou puttest an end to the hours of the night, and
thou dost count them, even thou; thou endest them in thine
own appointed season, and the earth becometh light. Thou
settest thyself therefore before thy handiwork in the likeness of
Ra [when] thou risest on the horizon.

Taken from:  http://touregypt.net/featurestories/re.htm

 

 

Hail to you, Herukhuti-Khephera, Who created Himself.

How Beautiful is Your arising in the horizon,

illuminating the Two Lands with Your rays.

All Gods are in exultation when They see

the King of Heaven, the Lord,

with the Uraeaus abiding on His forehead.

Its place is made as Your symbol of power,

and the crowns of Upper and Lower Kemet are on Your brow

 

-Stele for Tjeker-Tehuti, Ptolmaic -Roman Period

Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago

 

Arise, Ra.  Arise Thou in Thy shrine,

so that Thou mayest engulf the winds,

inhale the north wind,

swallow the spine,

spit out the day,

kiss the truth.

- The Book of the Two Ways

Coffin Texts 1029, DeBuck translation.

Ra: Father of the Gods

Resource List

All entries are taken verbatim from the original source:

(e) "Who's Who in Mythology."  Alexander S. Murray.  Braken Books.  ©1988

(p) "The Encyclopedia of Heaven." Miriam Van Scott.  St. Martin's Press.  ©1999

(1) Copyright © 1994-2003 Shawn C. Knight. All rights reserved.  http://egypt.sk4p.net/gods.shtml