Flowers of Eternity

Once upon a time, in those distant days, when the earth was fresh as dew – covered with dense forests, rivers, lakes, and streams, there lived in Uruk, a city situated on the banks of rivers Tigiris and Euphrates in northern Iraq, a great warrior King. His name was Gilgamesh. He was the son of King Lugalbanda and goddess Ninsun. As such, he was two-thirds god and one-third human. He was the strongest superhuman that ever existed. In his youth, he was wild like an ox, arrogant and oppressive of his people.

Oppressed by him, the nobles and the people prayed to the sky-god Anu -- the chief god of the city, to help them. In response, Anu told Aruru to create a wild brute to serve as the subhuman rival to the superhuman Gilgamesh. So she created a wild-man, Enkidu. This brute had the strength of dozens of wild animals. He lived in the dense forests near Gilgamesh’s kingdom and terrorised the countryside.

A hunter’s son discovered Enkidu running naked with wild animals. He told his father about that strange being. His father advised him to take the help of Shamhat, the temple harlot in trapping Enkidu. With the help of the temple harlot, Enkidu was tamed and introduced to civilisation. He was then brought to Uruk, where he wrestled with Gilgamesh. The wrestling match ended in a draw and the two became inseparable friends.

One day, as was his nature, Gilgamesh, looking for adventure proposed to Enkidu and said, “It has been a long time since I have had any adventure. Why not we go to the Cedar Forest and kill Humbaba, the Monster Guardian of that forest? It will be fun.”

Enkidu protested and said, “I know Humbaba since my days in the forest. He is very fierce and strong and as such it will be very difficult to defeat him. It is better you drop this idea.” Gilgamesh, however, remained determined. Enkidu, therefore, had to give in.

When the elders of the city and his mother Ninsun came to know of his endeavour, they tried to dissuade him. His mother lamented at her son’s fate and prayed to Shamash, the Sun god, “O Shamash! Why have you put such a restless mind in my son’s heart? He is ever on the lookout for perilous games. Please help him and protect him from any harm in this endeavour of his.”

The Sun god promised and assured her of the safety of his son Gilgamesh.

Finally, Gilgamesh and Enkidu reached the Cedar Forest and started cutting down the trees. Hearing the sound, Humbaba came to them roaring. Gilgamesh ran for his life and took refuge behind a rock. Enkidu shouted at him and said, “Have courage Gilgamesh, you are no ordinary human being but a superhuman. What has happened to you? Where have your courage and bravery vanished? Come out. Defeat this beast.”

Inspired by his friend, Gilgamesh battled with Humbaba and defeated him. On his knees, with Gilgamesh’s sword on his throat, he begged, “Gilgamesh, please spare my life, I will give all the trees of this forest to you as well as my eternal servitude”

Enkidu intervened and said, “Gilgamesh kill him, before any of the gods arrive to save him. They will definitely stop you from killing him. If you kill him now, you will achieve widespread fame for all the times to come. Don’t waste time in thinking. Kill him!”

Gilgamesh with a great sweep beheaded Humbaba. But before dying, he screamed out a curse and said, “Of you two, Enkidu will not live longer. He will also not find peace in this world.”

Gilgamesh and Enkidu cut down the tallest of the Cedar trees to make a great Cedar gate for the city of Uruk.

After this event, Gilgamesh’s fame spread. Attracted by this, Ishtar, daughter of Sky god, Anu, approached him and said, “Why don’t you become my lover and husband. If you do that, I shall give you many gifts. All earthly rulers will pay you homage and their kingdoms shall be yours.”

Gilgamesh rejected and insulted her. He said, “I know your godly nature and also what fate did your earlier mortal lovers were subjected to. List of your misdeeds is endless. Go somewhere else. Leave me alone.”

Deeply insulted, Ishtar returned to heaven and begged her father to let her have the Bull of Heaven to wreck vengeance on Gilgamesh and his city. She said to him, “Father, let me have the Bull of Heaven to kill Gilgamesh and his city. If you don’t grant me the Bull, I will let the dead leave and roam on the earth. They will eat all the living beings.”

Reluctantly Anu gave in. The Bull of Heaven was sent down to kill Gilgamesh and to destroy Uruk. But he and Enkidu, working together kill the Bull. When Ishtar came to know of the fate of the Bull, she got enraged.

Enkidu confronted her and said, “You are our next victim. Gilgamesh and I will kill you.” Saying so, he hurled one of the thighs of the Bull on her face.

Soon after this incident, Enkidu fell ill. He saw a set of ominous dreams. To know what exactly they meant, he went to a priest for interpretation.

The Priest told him, “Enkidu, the chief gods have singled you out for vengeance and have decided that someone should be punished for killing Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. Hence they have decided that you pay the penalty.”

Enkidu was enraged at the injustice and cursed the Cedar Gate, the temple harlot and the trapper for introducing him to civilisation. Then the Sun god reminded him, “Enkidu, even though your life has been short, you have enjoyed the fruits of civilisation and known happiness. Why are you cursing others for your own faults.”

Realising this, he forgave the Cedar Gate, the temple harlot and the trapper.

After suffering terribly for twelve days, he died.

Gilgamesh was torn apart by the death of his friend Enkidu. He did not shave, did not eat properly, he did not even bathe. He went on mourning his friend’s death.

For the first time he came to face the fact of death. It bewildered and terrified him. So he decided, “When I die, I shall not die like Enkidu. Though death terrifies me, there has to be some way to become immortal. I will meet Utnapishtim and his wife, the only mortals on whom the gods had granted immortality. They will be able to reveal the secret of immortality.”

He, therefore, undertook the most difficult journey to meet Utnapishtim, the Far Away and his wife who lived at the mouth of all rivers at the ends of the world.

He soon arrived at Mount Mashu, which kept watch over the sunrise and the sunset and was guarded by awesome Scorpio-men. Gilgamesh approached them with reverence.

A Scorpio-man, seeing him, asked his wife, “This man who comes to us has the body of the gods.”

His wife replied, “You are right, he is two-thirds god and one-third human.”

Then he asked Gilgamesh, “Why have you come on this far off journey, traversing seas whose crossings are difficult. What is your purpose? Tell me.”

Gilgamesh told him about the death of his friend and further said, “I have come in search of immortality. Only Utnapishtim can reveal the secrets. I am looking for him.”

The Scorpio-man replied, “You are embarking on a difficult and futile journey. No mortal can achieve what you desire. None has travelled this far. Forget about immortality, journey to it, is perilous. Its trail extends twelve leagues covered with dense darkness; no light ever shines there. ”

Gilgamesh was firm on his quest. Seeing this, the Scorpio-men allowed him to enter the gate. Gilgamesh travelled for eight leagues in total darkness. Journeying eleven leagues, he saw the glimmer of light. After twelve leagues, he emerged into light and entered into a brilliant garden. Soon he arrived at a tavern, which was kept by Siduri, the heavenly barmaid. Frightened by his rugged appearance, she locked the tavern’s door and refused to let him in.

Gilgamesh requested her, “I have faced all kinds of hardships for my friend Enkidu. His death has made me fear death and I want to know the way to immortality. Please tell me where can I find Utnapishtim and his wife.”

Siduri, the heavenly barmaid replied, “Gilgamesh, life and death is the fate of mankind. When the gods created the world, they set aside death for the mankind. Why do you want to know the secrets of immortality? Leave this idea, just enjoy your life with your wife and sons and be happy.”

Siduri then directed him to Urshanabi the ferryman, who worked for Utnapishtim, the Far Away. This ferryman warned him not to touch the water of death. If one does so, he warned, he would die. So they crossed the river of death and finally reached Utnapishtim’s island.

Gilgamesh repeated his story and entreated him, “I roamed and wandered over all the lands, traversed difficult mountains and seas in search of you. I have not slept since then. I want to know the secret of eternal life, which you have achieved. That is why I have come here.”

Utnapishtim said to him, “Nothing is permanent in this world. The houses we build are not to last for ever, our contracts and relationships are not permanent. Do not compose a picture of death, the commoner and the noble are alike to death. For it spares none. None can know the day when Death will come. It is not revealed, only the gods, who decided, know it.”

Gilgamesh asked, “Then tell me how did you join the Assembly of the gods in your quest for life? What is the secret of your becoming immortal? How did you achieve it?”

Utnapishtim then revealed to him how in ancient times, the gods decided to destroy the world in a great flood and how he was saved by one of the gods, who informed him about the decision of the gods. Thereafter, he managed to save his wife, pair of all animals and himself. When the gods came to know that the entire world had not been destroyed and that a few had managed to survive, they came to him and his wife and blessed them with immortality.

At the end of his narration, he offered Gilgamesh a chance to immortality and said, “I will reveal to you a hidden matter and a secret of the gods. If you manage to stay awake, full of awareness for six days and seven nights, you will achieve immortality. You will be free from the fear of death”.

Gilgamesh accepted the conditions and sat down on the shore. Soon sleep surrounded him instantly like a mist. He lost his awareness.

Utnapishtim’s wife told him, “He has fallen asleep, please wake him up so that he may return safe on way back from where he has come.”

Utnapishtim replied, “I know he has fallen asleep. He is not aware that he is asleep. When he wakes up he will say that he remained full of awareness for six days and seven nights. Remember all humans are liars, they have the tendency to deceive others. So bake a loaf of bread every day and lay it at his feet as a proof. ”

Gilgamesh slept without ever waking up for six days and seven nights. Finally on the night of the seventh day, Utnapishtim waked him. Startled Gilgamesh said, “Scarcely has sleep touched me and I remained fully awake. I only dozed off for half a second.”

But Utnapishtim pointed out to him, “Look at the loaves of bread that are lying near you. See them carefully, then you will become aware of how many days you have slept. Look at the first day’s loaf, it is dry and stale. Had you been awake, you would have eaten it. See also the loaf, which was placed today. It is fresh. So you have been lying that you remained awake all the days. Now you have missed the chance of attaining immortality.”

Gilgamesh was taken aback and was in distraught condition. He said, “What do I do now? Where do I go now? Death has devoured my body. It dwells in my body. Wherever I go, wherever I look, Death stands there. What am I to do now? Please give me one more chance to know.”

Utnapishtim’s wife requested her husband to have mercy on Gilgamesh and to give him another chance. So he offered him in place of immortality a secret plant, which would make him young again.

He said to Gilgamesh, “At the bottom of this sea, lies a plant. It is like the buckthorn and will prick your hands just like the rose plant. If you eat it, you will once again become young.”

Gilgamesh dived into the sea, reached the bottom and plucked the plant. After returning to the surface, a doubt arose in his mind and he thought, “How to trust the words of the Far Away? I will take this plant to my kingdom and test its efficacy on the oldest man to see if he becomes young again. Only then I shall eat the remaining plant.”

He along with the ferryman crossed the River of Death. After several leagues inland, Gilgamesh and Urshanabi -- the ferryman stopped to eat and sleep. While they were sleeping, attracted by the fragrance of the plant, a snake slithered up and ate it. Gilgamesh awoke to find the plant gone. He fell on his knees and wept and said to Urshanabi, “For whom, have my hands toiled? For whom I faced many difficulties? For whom I journeyed? For whom I have suffered? I have gained nothing for myself. I have only profited the snake, the ground lion.”

Dejected, Gilgamesh returned to his city Uruk. When he reached there, he showed to the ferryman the beauty and greatness of the city, its mason, work and the famous Cedar Gate and said, “Though I have failed to achieve immortality and also perpetual youth, but one’s name can become immortal if one performs great deeds.”