Odù 161 of 256 · Osa family

Osa Ka

The clown who makes people laugh while his heart weeps: here the naturalness of death was born, and the tired horse works with nobody valuing it.

Osa Ka is Odù number 161 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, 9 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 161 of 256
Composition: Osa over Ika
Orishas that speak: Oshún Ololodi · Azojuano · Shangó · Obatalá · Ogún · Orunmila

What Ifá says in this sign

Osa Ka is the Ifá of the tired horse: worn out from so much work, and in the end with nobody who cares for it or values it — and of the clown, who was born here: while I make them laugh, my heart weeps. People laugh with you — and sometimes at you: this odu comes to give you back the regard you are owed.

Its map of enemies is an inward one: the enemy is inside the house as a friend — what troubles you lives under your own roof, and a snare has been set to take your road from you. Move if this odu insists, do not argue, and look after your job: the greedy eyes on you explain this year's losses.

«While I make them laugh, my heart weeps — the clown of Osa Ka deserves the regard he hands out.»The pulse of Osa Ka

Here the naturalness of death was born — everyone born must die — with one hard rule: do not take pity on the dying, because you or a godchild will die: accompany without merging, serve without absorbing. And there is a family secret: it may be that whoever raised you knew you were not his — as Obatalá with Shangó: the love of raising counts as much as blood, and the spiritual emptiness of your unsettled life gets filled by knowing it.

Your gift cuts both ways: the plate you break, someone else pays for — other people carry your blame: do not abuse that gift, because the cosmic account exists; and the warning from within the trade: this odu is capable of betraying its godfather — do not be the one who does: regard for your elder is your final test.

The remedies for the tired one: thanks and two candles for Azojuano, white clothes and never torn ones, ebbó before the place you want to go (there are traps), and real rest — because you grew old changing places and fell ill changing partners: stay still and heal. The tired horse of Osa Ka, treated well, still wins races

The sign in one line

Rest, look at who is living in your house and do not betray your godfather — the tired horse of Osa Ka still wins, if everyone stops riding it.

The prayer of Osa Ka · Yoruba

Osa kani awani okutele kole adifafun Aritinlo ayua yele olanyo ayua akuko lebo owunko lebo ori lebo adie ewe tinle yokula unlo asho fun fun ikan lowa Osa Ka Ifá Orunmila lodafun oma.

Súyere
Asho fun fun ikan lowa Osa Ika.

Ifá says — what Osa Ka tells you

The Ifá of the tired horse: you are worn out from so much work, and in the end you have nobody who cares for you or values you. The Ifá of the clown: while I make them laugh, my heart weeps — people laugh at you. The Ifá of the enemy inside the house: Ikan Arayé Saluga Kowa Ilé speaks — the enemy is inside the house as a friend, and the trouble is inside your own house. An Ifá of family secrets: there is a great secret in your life — it may be that your father raised you knowing he was not your father, as Obatalá did with Shangó. An Ifá of betraying the godfather: Osa Ka does not respect friendship or give his godfather the regard he is owed, and is capable of betraying him. An Ifá where money smooths the way for what you want. An Ifá of binding: the turtle, with her art and her cunning, bound the horse — it marks a man bound by a woman.
You cannot take pity on people who are at death's door: you, a godchild or someone you love will die.
You have no fixed place and you are restless: the trouble is inside your own house.
You have fallen ill changing partners, and grown old changing places.
Osa Ka has the gift of other people carrying his blame.
There are family secrets concerning you: you have been apart from your father for a long time.
There is a great spiritual emptiness in your life: your life has been an unsettled one.
The man is looking for a woman to marry.
The herbs of this Odù are: white elder, sea parsley and hierba de plata.
The plate you broke, someone else is due to pay for.
The trouble is inside your own house, and a snare has been set to take your road from you.
You want to go somewhere: make ebbó first so you are not in danger, because there are traps.
You want to go to a house to ask for money or something of value.
You have had a great many losses this year: your business went badly because of the eyes on you — the greedy ones.
Move away from where you live.
You are poor and unhappy over a debt you have, and the owner of your house is going to send for you and you will not know what to do.
Give thanks to Azojuano and light him two candles.
Do not wear torn clothes and dress in white.
You laugh, but your heart weeps.
Watch out for traps: they do not deal straight with you, and your road is closed.
Look after your job.
You cannot be stubborn.
You have to respect friendship, both your godfather's and that of your true friends.

Proverbs of Osa Ka · Òwe

“Whoever looks, finds.”
“The trouble that is yours is sitting in your house.”
“The plate you broke, someone else will pay for.”
“To talk about someone else's secret is a shameful act.”
“While I make them laugh, my heart weeps.”
“From so much moving about, my tent rotted.”
“Everyone born comes to the moment when they have to die.”
“Trouble in the street annoys you; trouble at home wears you down.”
“To blame others is to be shamed by our own cowardice.”
“The wind is the only one allowed to have no fixed place.”
“Water taro is not held down by its roots.”
“Epidemics travel in the air and sail through the blood.”
“At feasts nobody is alone; at wakes everyone has an excuse.”
“The mother is the one who raises you, not the one who bore you.”
“Whoever forgets an offense lives with love; the one who holds a grudge has no friends.”
“The sick to the hospital, the dead to the morgue, and the living cheerful.”
“A scolding cuts deeper in a wise man than a thousand lashes in a fool.”
“Horns and gray hair do not come from old age.”

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

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 Ka · Ìbí

The naturalness of death.
Everyone born comes to the moment when they have to die.
The circus tent.
From so much moving about it rotted, and it falls on top of the performers: this person has fallen ill changing partners and grown old changing places.
The clown.
He makes people laugh with a broken heart: you laugh, but your heart weeps.
Confusion about one's sex.
That when the Awó dies a silver coin is put in his mouth.
That the head is prayed over with snapper (ejá-bo).

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 Ka · The sacrifices that open the road

Beating enemiesThe ebbó of the basket🔒 Babalawo

Pushing death awayThe ebbó of the tired horse🔒 Babalawo

SpiritualThe ebbó of the broken plates🔒 Babalawo

MoneyAritinlo's ebbó🔒 Babalawo

SpiritualThe confidant's sacrifice🔒 Babalawo

HealthThe sacrifice for the birth of the child🔒 Babalawo

6 ebbós in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Works of Osa Ka · The workings of the sign

HealthThe prayer with the snapper🔒 Babalawo

LoveThe female goat of Oshún Ololodi🔒 Babalawo

SpiritualAttending to Azojuano🔒 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 Ka · The roads of the Odù

1Malano and her arguing

Malano was a woman who sold at the market and got herself into everything that was none of her business. One day Orunmila told her to make ebbó so she would not lose her life. She paid no attention and went on living the same way — until one time death followed her, and killed her for arguing.

There was a woman who sold at the market and was called Malano, and she got herself into everything that was none of her business.

One day Orunmila told her to make ebbó so she would not lose her life. She paid no attention and went on living the same way.

Until one time death followed her, and killed her for arguing.

2The plate you broke, someone else will pay for

Awó Osa Ka was a great chaser of women, and fell for the unmarried daughter of his Oluwo, who had left her in his care while he traveled. The young woman became pregnant, and the Awó did not know how to avoid the shame with his godfather. An older client came looking for a woman to marry: this Odù came out in his reading, and the Awó did the work for him and arranged for him to meet the young woman without appearing himself. The old man fell in love; the Awó prepared the young woman, washing her parts with red mangrove three days running to tighten them as if she were unmarried. The old man married the young woman — paying for the plates Awó Osa Ka had broken.

Awó Osa Ka was a great chaser of women. One day he fell for the daughter of his Oluwo, who was unmarried. This was kept very quiet, but the young woman became pregnant, and he did not know what to do to avoid the shame with his godfather, since the man had left his daughter in his care while he was away on a journey.

In those days an older client came to be read, who was looking for a woman to marry. This Odù came out in the reading, and Awó Osa Ka told him: «You have come because you want work done so you can find a woman to marry». Since that was exactly what the old man was after, he did the work the Awó marked him. The Awó afterwards found a way for him to meet the young woman without appearing himself.

The old man fell in love with the young woman, and the Awó then prepared her, washing her parts with red mangrove three days running, to tighten them as if she were unmarried.

The old man married the young woman, paying for the plates Awó Osa Ka had broken.

3Shangó's secret

Obatalá had a secret — Shangó's birth — and entrusted it to his daughter Dada Bañani to raise him. He went every day to see him, and the child grew up spoiled, badly brought up and proud. Obatalá treated Ogún very badly, and Ogún, annoyed, dug into the reason for Shangó's upbringing until Yemayá gave him the secret he wanted. Ogún told Shangó he knew a secret about his life; Shangó, arrogantly, insisted on hearing it — and went off shamed to ask Yemayá, who denied everything until she ended up telling him the truth. Shangó took it out on his father Obatalá and left his side, abandoning him. There is a great secret in this person's life: it may be that their father raised them knowing he was not their father.

Obatalá had a secret, which was Shangó's birth, and he entrusted it to his daughter Dada Bañani to raise him. Obatalá went every day to his daughter Dada Bañani's house to see his son Shangó, and the child grew up very spoiled, badly brought up and proud.

It happened that Obatalá treated Ogún very badly, and Ogún, annoyed, tried to find out the reason for the way Shangó was being raised, and pressed so hard that one day Yemayá gave him the secret he wanted.

One day, Ogún told Shangó that he knew a secret about his life, and that if he gave it away something terrible would break out. Shangó insisted and arrogantly pressed Ogún to tell him, since he had no secret in his life. Ogún told him, and Shangó went off shamed to see Yemayá and asked her about what Ogún had told him. She denied everything, but Shangó pressed so hard that she ended up telling him the whole truth.

Shangó took it out on his father Obatalá, and left his side, abandoning him.

Note: this Odù says there is a great secret in this person's life, and it may be that their father raised them knowing he was not their father.

4Aritinlo the obedient🔒 Babalawo

5The reading made for the birth of a child🔒 Babalawo

6The reading made for Ayekogbeje, a confidant🔒 Babalawo

7The clown🔒 Babalawo

8The disobedience of the fruits🔒 Babalawo

9The dump🔒 Babalawo

10The goatherd🔒 Babalawo

11The ambush🔒 Babalawo

12The turtle rode the horse🔒 Babalawo

13Sickness and health🔒 Babalawo

14The two wings of a sinning angel🔒 Babalawo

15Duty and rebellion🔒 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 Ka in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Osa Ka

What does the Odù Osa Ka mean in Ifá?

The clown who makes people laugh while his heart weeps: here the naturalness of death was born, and the tired horse works with nobody valuing it.

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

Osa Ka is Odù number 161 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Osa family.

Which orishas speak in Osa Ka?

In the Odù Osa Ka these orishas speak: Oshún Ololodi, Azojuano, Shangó, Obatalá, Ogún, Orunmila.

What is a proverb of the Odù Osa Ka?

One of the proverbs of Osa Ka says: «Whoever looks, finds.».

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