Odù 71 of 256 · Odi family

Odi Ika (Odi Ka)

The King of mysteries, the bat that only flies at night: here Oduduwa is born at the foot of the Ceiba — he goes far, but never alone.

Odi Ika (Odi Ka) is Odù number 71 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Odi family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 23 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 12 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 71 of 256
Composition
Odi over Ika
Orishas that speak
Oduduwa · Obatalá Orishaye (Edundale) · Shangó · Yemayá · Abita y Tente Orun · Olofin · Orun · Eshú Lona

What Ifá says in this sign

Odi Ka is the King of mysteries: the Odù of the bat, who only flies at night and sleeps head downward — and the sign where Oduduwa was born at the foot of the Ceiba. Here the head was prayed for men for the first time, and here its humblest truth was spoken: you will always need someone to guide you before you amount to anything.

That is not weakness: it is how you were made. The bat never parts from Eshú or from Oduduwa — this sign can never be without Oduduwa or Olofin, or without a godfather, or without a guide. Whoever walks alone in Odi Ka is lost: he ends in poverty, on the street, and sometimes out of his mind. With a guide, on the other hand, he is a king.

«The bat never parts from Eshú and Oduduwa — the mystery of Odi Ka flies in company or it does not fly at all.»The pulse of Odi Ika (Odi Ka)

Its iron rules: not one drop of drink — here alcohol takes everything —, absolute respect for the woman who runs your house (as long as she sees to you, all will go well; disrespect will make her leave), and speed: you are facing a betrayal in your business or in your private affairs — do whatever you are going to do as soon as you can.

You live among enemies and you know it: that is why the owner of this odu will always be doing paraldo — it is his hygiene, not his punishment. Take care with crashes and accidents, and with the party you must not go to when death is on your heels: the unbeliever of the patakí was killed from behind in the middle of the celebration. The children need particular attention: recognize them, look after their health; and for the woman whose pregnancies keep failing, Orunmila.

Its ceremonies of glory were born here: presenting the Iyawó to the drum, and the year in white. Give a drum to Yemayá, go to the sea with your staff at six in the evening to pray to Olokun, and keep looking straight ahead like Adán, who mastered every arayé of his without ever crashing: the mystery of Odi Ka wins when it flies in company

The sign in one line

Find yourself a guide, leave the drink alone and respect the woman who runs your house — the King of mysteries goes far, but never alone.

The prayer of Odi Ika (Odi Ka) · Yoruba

Odika okoloyu opua adifafun orisaye tinshomo ayalorun oba nifa tinshomo Olofin oba orisaye, adifafun Egun oyogba orun, maferefún Shango, orisaye obaye adifafun Oduduwa.

Súyere
Oba kerele oba kerele, oyu kerele oba kerele, Egun kerele oba kerele, Oduduwa kerele oba kerele.

Ifá says — what Odi Ika (Odi Ka) tells you

Proverbs of Odi Ika (Odi Ka) · Òwe

13 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

6 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 Odi Ika (Odi Ka) · Ìbí

What is forbidden · Eewó

5 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 Odi Ika (Odi Ka) · The sacrifices that open the road

Beating enemiesThe test of the stolen objects🔒 Babalawo
Beating enemiesThe secret of the bat Adán🔒 Babalawo
Pushing death awayThe secret work and paraldo of Odi Ka🔒 Babalawo
Pushing death awayGetting death off your back🔒 Babalawo
HealthPraying the head with a long-tongued fish🔒 Babalawo
HealthThe food Ifá asks for🔒 Babalawo
MoneyA drum for Yemayá🔒 Babalawo
LossPraying to Olokun with the staff🔒 Babalawo
8 ebbós in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Works of Odi Ika (Odi Ka) · The workings of the sign

HealthInshé-Osanyin of Odi Ka🔒 Babalawo
SpiritualPresentation to the drum🔒 Babalawo
Beating enemiesParaldo baths🔒 Babalawo
HealthTwo black hens for Orunmila🔒 Babalawo
4 works in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Patakíes of Odi Ika (Odi Ka) · The roads of the Odù

1Where the first palero made Ifá

In Dahomey, King Egun Agaya sent for the diviner Awo Mokobi. He made him ebbó and brought prosperity, and taught that children of three months should be brought to Ifá to learn their Angel and their future. The palero Bokoso Omologu understood how great Ifá was and had himself consecrated.

In the land of Dahomey, ruled by King Egun Agaya, whenever someone died they sent for Bokoso Omologu, the palero who spoke for the dead. Living with him was Baba Sibe, a very clever monkey who went about with Oluo Popo and talked of Ifá existing in other lands. Agaya sent Baba Sibe to bring him the man who could divine anything, and he brought Awo Mokobi, who saw this Ifá for him and marked him an ebbó, and with it the osobo of that land was gone and prosperity arrived.

One day Awo Mokobi said that every child over three months old should be brought to Ifá to have their Guardian Angel drawn out and to be given an Odù that spoke their future, since in that land they only spoke to the spirits. He explained that there are 16 Odù Meyi, each with 15 children and 101 roads, and that this is why Ifá knows every history of heaven and of earth, because it sees every situation from above. Bokoso Omologu, the palero, understood that Ifá was the greatest thing there was, and asked to be consecrated. So the first palero was consecrated into the secrets of Ifá, and from then on nothing was done in that land without Ifá.

2When the bat was born

Adán, son of Abita and Tente Orun, used to slip out at night with the wind. When he hurt himself by day, Oduduwa and Eshú baptized him and gave him secrets; Abita poured fish blood in his eyes so he would master his enemies and never crash, and so the bat lives flying by night, guided by Eshú.

Abita and Tente Orun had a son, Adán the bat, who was not content with the way the land of Obaye Beye was governed. He would hide at home hearing everything, and at night he called Orun, went out with the wind (Afefe) and watched the wars, coming back before daybreak. His parents were annoyed because they thought he never went out; one day he asked leave to go out by day, tripped and hurt himself, and said he would not go out again. Oduduwa and Eshú, who were visiting Abita, decided to baptize him, with his mother Tente Orun as godmother.

Within seven days, Oduduwa talked Tente Orun into giving Adán her secret for not running into enemies; they took him to Inle Laye, near the beach, and consecrated him with seawater. The wind came and Adán flew off on the strength of Afefe. One secret was still missing: Abita, in front of them all, poured fish blood into his eyes and told him: «With this you will master every arayé of yours and will live looking straight ahead without crashing; but you will never part from Eshú or from Oduduwa». Oduduwa gave him two feathers to steer by, and told him: «You will live with respect, you will go out at night and no one will see you; Eshú will be your guide». So Adán came out on top, and he was respected.

3The pact of Orun and Orunmila

The mouse who fed Obatalá Orishaye's 16 children made ebbó and got free of his servitude; the children went hungry. Orun offered Obatalá a pact to feed them, but Eshú gave him away; in revenge, Orun and Ikú killed 15 children, until Orunmila brought Orun to heel and sealed the pact of swearing in the children.

Obatalá Orishaye had 16 small children up on the hill, fed by a large mouse who, worn out with serving him, went to Orunmila, made this ebbó and got free of his servitude; from then on Obatalá's children went hungry. Orun saw his chance and offered him a pact: «Do not go out at night, and I will bring you everything». Obatalá agreed, but Eshú, who wanted to catch Orun, lured him with seven ears of corn and took him to Orunmila, who prayed his head and told him not to go out by day for eight days; so Orun, who had been passing himself off as Obatalá in his robes, realized he had been tricked.

Orun then called Ikú and went out with Afefe Ikú; in revenge they tried to bring Obatalá's house down, and failing that, they killed 15 of his children who were out in the street, leaving the last one gravely ill. Obatalá went back to Orunmila, who told him to set the shell and the trap on the beach to catch Orun. As he fled, Eshú was waiting for him at the sea and caught him; Orunmila brought him to obedience and sealed the pact of Orun with Orunmila, so that all his children and Oshas could be sworn in by the power of Odi Ka. The mouse began the whole thing in this world.

4Olofin's curse on the bat, the snake and the snail🔒 Babalawo
5For not believing in Orunmila🔒 Babalawo
6The consecration of the Ilú Batá drum🔒 Babalawo
7The feeding of the 16 elder Odù🔒 Babalawo
8There is no divine justice🔒 Babalawo
9The banishment🔒 Babalawo
10Okumambo is born, the defense of Shangó🔒 Babalawo
11Empty hands🔒 Babalawo
12The ram and the turtle🔒 Babalawo
13The kingdom of Yemayá🔒 Babalawo
14Oggún's lesson🔒 Babalawo
15The curse of the children🔒 Babalawo
16The authority of the crown🔒 Babalawo
17Making it good again🔒 Babalawo
18The cat and the tiger🔒 Babalawo
19The prince and the whirlwind🔒 Babalawo
20The apetebí's wickedness🔒 Babalawo
21The heads and the shepé of Orishaoko🔒 Babalawo
22The tomb of Yobe🔒 Babalawo
23The flesh of Bahal🔒 Babalawo
20 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 Odi Ika (Odi Ka) in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Odi Ika (Odi Ka)

What does the Odù Odi Ika (Odi Ka) mean in Ifá?

The King of mysteries, the bat that only flies at night: here Oduduwa is born at the foot of the Ceiba — he goes far, but never alone.

What number is Odi Ika (Odi Ka) among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Odi Ika (Odi Ka) is Odù number 71 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Odi family.

Which orishas speak in Odi Ika (Odi Ka)?

In the Odù Odi Ika (Odi Ka) these orishas speak: Oduduwa, Obatalá Orishaye (Edundale), Shangó, Yemayá, Abita y Tente Orun, Olofin, Orun, Eshú Lona.

What is a proverb of the Odù Odi Ika (Odi Ka)?

One of the proverbs of Odi Ika (Odi Ka) says: «I am the King of mystery.».

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