Odù 213 of 256 · Irete family

Irete Yeku

Where the Santos, out of envy, declared war on Orunmila — and he proved before Olofin that he does not kill: he saves, with the animals of the ebbó.

Irete Yeku is Odù number 213 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Irete family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 27 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 8 ebbós and works and the signs it shows in the consultation; the detail of iré and osogbo, the eewó and the full recipes open with the Babalawo plan — that locked part is still written in Spanish.

The sign at a glance

Order in Ifá
Odù 213 of 256
Composition
Irete over Oyekun
Orishas that speak
Orunmila · Olofin · Obatalá · Shangó · Elegbá · Eshu Odara · Azojuano (San Lázaro) · Oyá · Egun

What Ifá says in this sign

Irete Yeku is the Odù where the Santos, out of envy, declared war on Orunmila — and where Orunmila proved before Olofin that he kills nobody: he saves the world by ordering animals in the ebboses, so the Santos do not eat people. That is why this odu has a rule unlike any other in Ifá: here no ebbó is made — adimú is set, and everything good is kept in writing.

Its portrait is a lonely one: Irete Makelekun has no friends, and Arun — illness — will always be after him; it is an odu of luck, but of luck pursued. Do not trust those who keep you company socially or in business: in moments of danger they leave you alone, as they left the general who disobeyed Orunmila.

«In Irete Yeku no ebbó is made: adimú is set — and everything good is kept in writing.»The pulse of Irete Yeku

Its risings have their hour and their place: a false accusation is raised against you — you can be accused out of envy before your elders —, death is out looking for you and is at the door, and where you live they tear you down: do not live where you are, and be home before the Sun goes down. Parties and drums call for sobriety: no mounting and attacking anyone, and no falling in love at a drum — it can bring you disaster.

Your conduct is your armor: whoever is initiated in this odu carries a severe and strict morality — noble and true to his word, with no mischief, so death, lawsuits and poverty do not hound him. And no idleness either: the man who eats the egg does not think about the work it cost the hen to lay it. Disbelief kills — it cost Darabiño, the unbeatable dancer, his life — and the mayomberos go under here: Orunmila beat them.

Its fine cares: no weight on your head and no efforts that harm your spine — neuralgia and sciatica are circling —, no climbing to high places, and watch out for rings and objects on your hands: infections, as with the woman with the ring. Bathe with four different herbs for luck and make pilgrimages: on those journeys you will find your fortuneyou are seated at the side of Olofin and Orunmila, because it is they who send you.

The sign in one line

Live by a strict morality, be home before sundown and look for your luck on pilgrimages — Orunmila proved in Irete Yeku that he does not kill: he saves.

The prayer of Irete Yeku · Yoruba

ADIFAFUN AWERE ORUNMILA, AKUKO, ADIE LEBO, OFA META LEBO, AGBADO LEBO. ABADA BI ABADA, ABADA BI ABADA ADIFAFUN WENWELE ALETISHO MA AYA LORUBO KORU OKA ABENU BABA ADIFAFUN OLOSOSHE UMBATI OWO WERE AGUTO BIELE.

Súyere
DARABIÑO UNLOYO KORU EBO.

Ifá says — what Irete Yeku tells you

Proverbs of Irete Yeku · Òwe

18 proverb interpretations in this Odù, locked.Every proverb explained: which road it comes from and how it applies. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Iré and Osogbo

8 iré and osogbo readings in this Odù, locked.The iré and osogbo of the sign, sorted by subject — health, money, love, death, loss… Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

What is born in Irete Yeku · Ìbí

What is forbidden · Eewó

7 eewó (taboos) in this Odù, locked.What the child of this sign must not eat, do or wear. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Ebbós of Irete Yeku · The sacrifices that open the road

DineroAdimú for luck🔒 Babalawo
Alejar la muerteTo avoid the misfortune🔒 Babalawo
Alejar la muerteTo avoid Ikú (the rag head)🔒 Babalawo
SaludEbbó for the house🔒 Babalawo
4 ebbós in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Works of Irete Yeku · The workings of the sign

EspiritualThe Ituto of the Awó (scattering omiero)🔒 Babalawo
SaludBath of the four herbs🔒 Babalawo
Vencer enemigosTo Shangó🔒 Babalawo
EspiritualConsecration of Ajuagan (the secret of this Odù)🔒 Babalawo
4 works in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Patakíes of Irete Yeku · The roads of the Odù

1The Santos declared war on Orunmila out of envy

Oshún, Ogún and the other Santos accused Orunmila before Olofin of the misfortunes of humankind; Orunmila showed that in every ebbó he marked animals so the Santos would eat them and not people — and Olofin cleared him.

All the Santos, above all Oshún and Ogún, greatly envied Orunmila and went to Obatalá to complain, and he sent Elegbá to fetch Orunmila.

But Orunmila had been read that day and had seen this Ifá, and when they came for him he took his ekuele and, on arriving, found Olofin surrounded by all the Santos, each of them accusing him of the misfortune humankind was going through. When they had all finished accusing him, Olofin asked Orunmila whether he had anything to say, and Orunmila answered: «All that they say about me is a lie, my Father, since every time I work with this ekuele or with Ifá, in every ebbó that is marked there is a goat, a rooster, a ram and so on, which I do not eat, and yet the Santos do.» He then marked those animals in the ebboses so that the Santos, instead of eating people, would eat those animals.

So Orunmila proved before the Eternal Father that he saved the world from destruction. Olofin, seeing this proof of intelligence, cleared him of the Santos' accusations.

Note: you can be accused out of envy before your elders. In this Odù no ebbó is made; the Awoses have to keep everything they do carefully in writing.

2The false accusation before Olofin

The Santos raised an infamous accusation against Orunmila to discredit him before Olofin; Orunmila, who had made osode before going, showed that it was all slander and, in turn, proved that it was the Santos who collected in human lives.

The Santos accused Orunmila before Olofin with a most serious infamy, in order to discredit him and take his command from him. Olofin sent for Orunmila and, before going, he made osode.

When Orunmila arrived, Olofin questioned him and Orunmila told him that it was an infamy raised out of envy and, in turn, he accused all the Santos: that they killed when someone robbed them or owed them something, and that way they ate human beings. That he, in the ebboses, ordered animals so the Santos would eat those and not people.

So the slander was proved as such, and Orunmila came out cleared and greater than before.

Note: be careful with a false accusation that is going to be raised against you.

3Orunmila kills nobody

Summoned before Olofin over a complaint, Orunmila set only adimú — Ifá told him the ebbó would bring obligations — and came with his secretary and his book; once three proofs of the good he had done were read out, Olofin gave him his title of command, and Orunmila proved one by one the deaths each Osha had caused.

This Ifá is the proof that Orunmila kills (otokú) nobody: it is the Oshas who kill.

Orunmila was summoned to a meeting over a complaint made against him before Olofin, putting him in the worst possible light. Orunmila, before going, made osode, saw this Ifá and said: arayé. Ifá told him to set adimú only, because if he made ebbó it would bring a great deal of trouble and obligations. He set out for the meeting with his secretary and his book.

Olofin had said that, if this complaint were proved against him, he would have to be taken out of his command of the Earth. Orunmila arrived and greeted him, saying to Olofin: «I am at your orders.» Then Olofin told him the purpose of the meeting.

Orunmila said: «Let us see the proofs.» And he ordered his secretary to open the book and said: «Here is everything I have done this year for the good of humankind.» He read out the first proof. Olofin listened and said: «I said as much.» And he was full of wonder at the good he had done. Then he said: «Speak no more of it.» But Orunmila said: «No: read the second proof.» Olofin was more astonished still and said: «Enough.» But Orunmila said: «Read the third.»

Olofin was so astonished that he said: «I need no more», and gave him his title of command. But Orunmila demanded from the Oshas an account of what they had done: Yemayá, because someone took a fish out of her sea, drowned him; Shangó, because someone owed him a ram, burned him; Ogún, in the same way... And so, one after another, Orunmila proved to each of them what they had done.

When this was over, as Orunmila was leaving, Olofin told him he was sorry to have called him and troubled him at that meeting with the Oshas. And Orunmila answered that he was proud to have come, that he had gained more from it, and that he forgave them all.

4The three brothers who set out to see the world🔒 Babalawo
5Darabiño, the unbeatable dancer🔒 Babalawo
6The disobedient man broke his backbone🔒 Babalawo
7The road of septicemia🔒 Babalawo
8The disobedient general🔒 Babalawo
9The road of death and Orunmila🔒 Babalawo
10The world covered in dust🔒 Babalawo
11The food on the Santos' table🔒 Babalawo
12The fight at the drum🔒 Babalawo
13Sori Bokun and Tinshomo Awó Ifá, sons of Oluó Popó🔒 Babalawo
14The two brothers: the palero and the santero🔒 Babalawo
15The three sorcerer spirits (Ajuagan)🔒 Babalawo
16Peregún makes sacrifice and does good🔒 Babalawo
17I do no mischief and no harm🔒 Babalawo
18The birds and the bat🔒 Babalawo
19The snake and the snail🔒 Babalawo
20The ox of Oricha Oko🔒 Babalawo
21Show and wisdom🔒 Babalawo
22The savanna bird🔒 Babalawo
23Beauty and leprosy🔒 Babalawo
24The dog does not eat fire🔒 Babalawo
25From one fool to another🔒 Babalawo
26The devil's needle🔒 Babalawo
27The flesh and the stone🔒 Babalawo
24 more patakíes in this Odù, locked.Read every road in full with the Babalawo plan. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →
Before you subscribe: everything you read on this page is in English, but the locked part of the treatise — the full text of the other patakíes, the recipes for the ebbós and works, the iré and osogbo readings and the eewó — is still written in Spanish. We are translating it. · This page is also available in Spanish: See Irete Yeku in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Irete Yeku

What does the Odù Irete Yeku mean in Ifá?

Where the Santos, out of envy, declared war on Orunmila — and he proved before Olofin that he does not kill: he saves, with the animals of the ebbó.

What number is Irete Yeku among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Irete Yeku is Odù number 213 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Irete family.

Which orishas speak in Irete Yeku?

In the Odù Irete Yeku these orishas speak: Orunmila, Olofin, Obatalá, Shangó, Elegbá · Eshu Odara, Azojuano (San Lázaro), Oyá, Egun.

What is a proverb of the Odù Irete Yeku?

One of the proverbs of Irete Yeku says: «Disbelief costs you your life.».

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