Odù 158 of 256 · Osa family

Osa Bara

Osa Shepe, the Ifá of curses: the sick person is saved, intelligence rules over strength — and the bee, for not making ebbó, dies when it stings.

Osa Bara is Odù number 158 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Osa family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 15 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 10 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 158 of 256
Composition
Osa over Obara
In the Diloggún
9-6 · Osá tonti Obara
Orishas that speak
Shangó · Ogún · Oyá · Yemayá · Agayú · Olokun · Orishaoko · Egun · Eshu

What Ifá says in this sign

Osa Bara is Osa Shepe — the Ifá of curses — with its great exception written into it: the illness is on this person, but the sick one is saved and cured. And its law of war was born here: intelligence rules over strength — Ogún's children were strong but had no head, and they lost.

What saves in this odu is Egun: you are a spiritist and two spirits speak in you — develop them; and if there is a child in the house with half a spiritual unit whom the dead one mounts: listen to what they say. Your ancestors may be Chinese — the land of Filaní — and you were not raised by your father: your roots explain more than you think.

«The illness is on this person, but the sick one of Osa Bara is saved — and intelligence beats strength.»The pulse of Osa Bara

The sting teaches what war costs: the bee, for not making ebbó, dies when it uses hers — do not attack without doing the work, because the blow you strike bleeds you too. Your great war looks over and will start up again stronger: do not disarm; and the Babalawo living nearby who envies you and treats you falsely can go on waiting for you to stumble.

Your public face is at stake: they are watching you to shame you — wear clothes with crosswise stripes to come out on top — and when you are poor they will look down on you and when you have money they will flatter you: believe neither. Drink is treacherous: drunk you can do what sober you condemn, and there are two people holding sway over you — the ebbó cuts those threads.

Your hands have a trade in them: shoemaker, leatherworker, tailor — skill with hides and cloth: use it, because it is a road to prosperity. The dream about Saints and money is true: make ebbó so it arrives whole; the pregnant woman of the house should do the work for her delivery — the child comes with a mark —, and do not throw anyone out of your house: the aleyos are what lift you. Shepe's curse fell on the ungrateful — the grateful one is out of its reach

The sign in one line

Develop your two spirits, wear your stripes and win with your head — the curse of Osa Shepe does not reach the grateful.

The prayer of Osa Bara · Yoruba

Osa Shepe Obara Obara Osa yerekun obani Shangó obayire Awo obani laye sheregun Osa niba shepe oba lara Obara lara Osa beyekun keyerun loye lokun oba shepe Osa Shepe Ogún mayire oba yeri Ogún oma owo laye Shangó oba Osa Shepe.

Súyere
Ogún belekun leri aye belekun yere eje belekun yere.

Ifá says — what Osa Bara tells you

Proverbs of Osa Bara · Òwe

16 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

5 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 Osa Bara · 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 Osa Bara · The sacrifices that open the road

Beating enemiesThe ebbó of Osa Shepe🔒 Babalawo
LoveThe proud man's ebbó🔒 Babalawo
HealthThe pregnant woman's ebbó🔒 Babalawo
Beating enemiesThe ebbó so they do not laugh at you🔒 Babalawo
Law troubleThe ebbó so you are not arrested🔒 Babalawo
MoneyOther ebbós of this Odù🔒 Babalawo
SpiritualThe ebbó of the nine-headed figure🔒 Babalawo
7 ebbós in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Works of Osa Bara · The workings of the sign

SpiritualThe oparaldo of the hole🔒 Babalawo
Beating enemiesThe razor at the doorway🔒 Babalawo
LoveThe ebbó to Yemayá for the wrongs done🔒 Babalawo
3 works in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Patakíes of Osa Bara · The roads of the Odù

1Shangó's curse on the land of Osa Shepe

Ogún ruled the land of Awa Nilaye through his son Awo Obarayiré: with frightening songs at nightfall and heavy footsteps before dawn, the people worked without rest, eating nothing but meat and fish, until they fell ill. Osain cured them in secret with herbs and sticks, and told Shangó, who summoned Ogún through a crowd of eguns and made him swear on the machete to share his strength with everyone. Once the people were cured by Osain, they all gave moforibale to Shangó — and then told him they no longer wanted them there. Shangó, furious, turned three ram's turns and threw the curse (shepe): Ogún went out to kill his own, and Shangó stopped him: «your son will go on ruling this land, because he is the only one who understands these people — but you are coming with us». And he put ashé in Awo Obarayiré's mouth: «you will have the power to call this land Osa Bara, so that everyone lives under your ashé: Osa Shepe».

On this road, Ogún believed himself the most powerful in the world and ruled the land of Awa Nilaye, of which he had made a son of his, an Awó called Obarayiré, the chief, and that son enjoyed the great powers Ogún had. This gave him great control over the land, so that in the daytime, when it began to get dark, he sang: «Obalayekun laye mo beyelekun laye kayere gbogbo oni omo kayere gbogbo oni». And all the people living in Awa Nilaye were frightened, and instead of going to sleep they went off to work, so they never had any rest. For his part Ogún, to help his son with his strength, would get up at four in the morning and start making noise with his feet, stamping hard on the ground and calling everyone with the song: «Omo ladire dide omo ladire owa keun omo abadishe omo ladire». And the others, who were asleep, got up to work.

Because of all this, in the land of Awa Nilaye there was no rest, and everyone lived very worried, because they hardly had time to eat what Ogún and his son gave them — which was only beef and fish, so they would have the strength to work more. But this was already doing them harm: the men were weak and poisoned, and everyone was ill.

One day, Osain went to visit the land of Awa Nilaye to see Ogún and his son, and see how they ruled. When he arrived, the first thing he found was everyone ill, and even so they were made to work. He went at once to speak with Ogún and his son, who were annoyed with him when they heard him. Osain said nothing and did not answer them, but he was carrying two bags full of herbs and sticks, and he began visiting the people and giving them some so they would be cured, warning them that they had to do it in secret. One day Awo Obarayiré went out on his rounds and saw what the people were doing and what they were drinking, and asked them; they told him they were things they had found. But as time passed, the people grew stronger.

Osain, given the circumstances, went to the land of Awa Tilaye, where Shangó lived, and told him everything. Shangó was upset and sent Osain to fetch Ogún. When they both left Awa Nilaye, Osain went along the road singing, warning Shangó that Ogún was coming: «Ogún baranire Awo alele Ogún lokun lorun». Suddenly eguns began coming out everywhere: this was the only thing Ogún could see, so he was very frightened. When they reached Shangó, Ogún began begging him to take that off him, that he could not bear it. Shangó told him: «All that you have on you is caused by the harm your son Obarayiré is doing in your land, leaning on you and on your strength. If you want me to take off what you have on you, you have to swear to me that you will come with me and take away the authority you gave your son». Ogún said: «I promise you», and took the machete (agada) in his hand and passed it over his head. Shangó laid a curse on him and said: «From today you have to keep your promise and do what I say: the strength you have given only to your son, you have to share with all the children of the land of Awa Nilaye».

Ogún set out with Shangó for the land of Awa Nilaye, and as soon as they came in, Ogún called his son, but Shangó told him: «Wait a moment: the one who has to look for him is me; the one who has to punish him is you — but Osain has to be given time to work». Osain began giving people herbs to drink, and sticks too, so they began recovering the health they lacked. In seven days everyone was strong and feeling well; at noon, they all knelt down to give moforibale to Shangó and Osain for the great benefits they had received from them. Shangó, meanwhile, kept the son, Awo Obarayiré, hidden.

When time had passed, the children of the land of Awa Nilaye called Shangó and Osain, and told them that, in spite of being very happy and grateful to them, they no longer wanted them there. Shangó, astonished, asked them: «What is this you are saying?», and they answered him the same. Shangó, furious, turned three ram's turns and began to lay a curse (shepe); he raised his voice and sang: «Ogún belekun leri eje belekun yere». When Ogún heard what they were saying, he came out with the machete and began killing his own. Shangó and Osain threw themselves in to stop the killing, and told him: «Be still, because your son Obarayiré will go on ruling this land, since he is the only one who understands these people — but you are coming with us».

Shangó came out, called Awo Obarayiré and told him: «Open your mouth», and put ashé in it, and added: «You will have the power to call this land Osa Bara, so that everyone lives under your ashé: Osa Shepe».

Note: Shangó's furious song is sung while the ebbó is performed; the person themselves has to kill the chick and give blood to the ebbó, while the Awó strikes the board continuously with the irofá. The chick's head goes into the ebbó.

2Where Shangó ran for the first time

Two Chinese towns were at war to the death. Shangó, bored, wanted to travel: Orunmila saw this Odù for him and marked him ebbó — an odu-ará in a gourd, a quail, a turtle and a glass ball in a bag —, warning him that once he left the place he arrived at, he was not to turn back. He reached the town of Filaní; seeing he was not Chinese, they feasted him with ram and sent him off with bows. When the fighting resumed, the Chinese cooked ram during the truce, and Shangó, catching the smell of the dish he loved so much, forgot Orunmila's words and went back: he tied on the braids of a dead Chinese man so as not to be recognized — but the fighting had started again, they took him for the enemy and seized him by the braids to cut off his head. He ran, leaving the braids in their hands: this is where Shangó ran for the first time.

There were two Chinese towns at war to the death: they did terrible things to each other, and the fighters on both sides would not lose the battle. Meanwhile Shangó was very bored and wanted to travel; he went to Orunmila to be read. Orunmila made osode for him and saw this Odù, where Ifá told him that to travel he had to make ebbó with an odu-ará in a gourd, a quail, a turtle and a glass ball, put it in a bag and carry it on him; that he would come to a town where there was a great war, and that once he left the place he arrived at, he was not to turn back.

Shangó made the ebbó, bought a horse and set out walking until he reached the town of Filaní. When the fighters saw him, they could tell he was not Chinese, because he had no braids; so they took him into the camp and told him they did not want anyone getting into that quarrel. In his honor they gave him a feast: the chief of the Chinese ordered ram cooked for him. They sat down at the table and Shangó ate hungrily and savored it. When the meal was over, the Chinese gave Shangó another horse and sent him off with torches, bowing to him.

Shangó went on his way, and the Chinese resumed their fighting. After many hours of battle, they called a truce to recover their wounded and make their meal, which was ram. Shangó, who was nearby, caught the smell of that dish he loved so much, and forgetting Orunmila's words he decided to go back. So the Chinese would not recognize him, he pulled the braids off one of the dead Chinese and tied them on — but he did not realize the fighting had already started again. When Shangó was about to cross to the other side, they saw him and thought he was one of the enemy: they came at him, seizing him by the braids to cut off his head. He ran, leaving the braids in the hands of the Chinese, who, seeing it was Shangó, paid him no more attention.

This is where Shangó ran for the first time.

3The proud man

Osa Bara was proud of his luck in business and with women, and paid no attention to his elders: «what God gave me nobody can take from me». He took up with a daughter of Oyá, whom he mistreated and was jealous of. One night he dreamed the wind was carrying him off to another, unknown world, and he cried out in terror. His mother — who had been asking her Guardian Angel, Yemayá, for her disobedient son — took him to the house of Ogbani-Isin, who turned out to be Orunmila: «you are a son of Shangó, sheltered by Yemayá and Obatalá, but your luck is in the hands of a daughter of Oyá. Shangó's children can never mistreat Oyá's daughters: it goes badly for them and they can even lose their lives, because Oyá is the wind itself — she can leave you deaf, with cramps or rheumatism in your legs, or paralyzed. Pray to Oyá and to Shangó so you have luck in everything».

Osa Bara was a proud man because of his luck in business and with women. He paid no attention to his elders, because he said that what God gave him nobody could take from him.

One day he met a daughter of Oyá, with whom he wanted to do as he pleased, mistreating her and abusing her badly. Osa Bara was very jealous and quarreled over nothing; sometimes he hit the woman.

One night he had a dream in which he saw himself out in space, and the wind was carrying him off to another, unknown world; in the dream, very frightened, he cried out. His mother, hearing her son in his fit, came to see what was happening to him: she knew something strange was going on with him, and had asked her Guardian Angel that nothing happen to her son, who she knew was very disobedient — and it turned out her Guardian Angel was Yemayá. So she called him by another name; he woke from the nightmare and told his mother everything that had happened in the dream.

His mother told him: «Son, grant me one thing: let us go to the house of Ogbani-Isin». Very frightened, he answered: «Yes, mother, let us go». They reached that man's house, and he turned out to be Orunmila. When he began his osode this Odù came out, and he told him: «You are a son of Shangó, but Yemayá shelters you a great deal, and Obatalá; but your luck is in the hands of a daughter of Oyá. You know Shangó respects Oyá a great deal, since she is his lady and watches over her son; but Shangó's children, as you are, can never mistreat Oyá's daughters, because it goes badly for them and they can even lose their own lives — since Oyá is the wind itself, and she can leave you deaf or even disabled by a bad draft, which can come back on you as cramps or rheumatism in the legs and leave you paralyzed. Pray to Oyá and to Shangó so you have luck in everything».

4The heir🔒 Babalawo
5Why Oyá eats black female goat🔒 Babalawo
6The king of the hunters🔒 Babalawo
7The bee and the wasp🔒 Babalawo
8When Osa Bara loosed the arrow🔒 Babalawo
9Ogún's son who ruled with an iron hand🔒 Babalawo
10Strength loses its power🔒 Babalawo
11The road of Oroíña🔒 Babalawo
12The binding of the womb🔒 Babalawo
13The ingratitude of the town of Oshogbo🔒 Babalawo
14The pig and the horse🔒 Babalawo
15The danger of taking someone else's credit as your own🔒 Babalawo
12 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 Osa Bara in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Osa Bara

What does the Odù Osa Bara mean in Ifá?

Osa Shepe, the Ifá of curses: the sick person is saved, intelligence rules over strength — and the bee, for not making ebbó, dies when it stings.

What number is Osa Bara among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Osa Bara is Odù number 158 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Osa family.

Which orishas speak in Osa Bara?

In the Odù Osa Bara these orishas speak: Shangó, Ogún, Oyá, Yemayá, Agayú, Olokun, Orishaoko, Egun, Eshu.

What is a proverb of the Odù Osa Bara?

One of the proverbs of Osa Bara says: «Two rams do not drink water at the same spring.».

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