Prayers (Orikis) To The Orisha of The Crossroads, Eshu-Elegba (Eleggua)

First come the Ancestors, giving homage to the ones who came before us. Our Ancestors are then followed by the Orishas, the spiritual guardians who govern the forces of nature and watch over us. Then least but not least, The Creator God Almighty, who created the universe and everything in it. Then leaving the Orishas to watch over and protect us. Sustaining our daily needs through nature as we live, learn, love, elevate.

Before favor is asked, homage is given to Eshu-Elegba, the Orisha of the crossroads. He owns all the paths, all the doors, all the roads, both in the material world, as well as the spiritual world. He is the divine messenger, to the other Orishas, and especially to God Almighty. Other spiritual paths and religions have their own spiritual equivalents to this powerful Orisha, but all roles are the same. I have a saying that I pretty much live by in regarding the many spiritual paths that are based in nature. "All Paths Lead To The Same Destination."

These are just a few of the Prayers (Orikis) to the Orisha of the crossroads, Eshu-Elegba (Eleggua in the Afro Cuban branch of "The Religion").

Prayer (Oriki) 1:


Eshu protect my family.
Protect the initiates of the Temple and me also.
Let me not be moved against the people.
Let not the people be moved against me.
Grant me long life.
Grant me peace.
Grant me elevation of my consciousness.
Grant me the ability to use my own hands.
Eshu I salute you.

Prayer (Oriki) 2:



Owner and elder of the crossroads. My father, remover all evil, for us to walk in peace, loss is no more, tragedy is no more, sickness is no more, death is no more, unforeseen evil is no more, in the name of all children in this house. I give you thanks, my father Elegba.

Prayer (Oriki) 3:




Eshu turns right into wrong, wrong into right.
When he is angry, he hits a stone until it bleeds.
When he is angry, he sits on the skin of an ant.
When he is angry, he weeps tears of blood.

Eshu slept in the house, but the house was too small for him.
Eshu slept on the verandah, but the verandah was too small for him.
Eshu slept in a nut, at last he could stretch himself.

Eshu walked through the groundnuts farm.
The tuft of his hair was just visible.
If it had not been for his huge size, he would not be visible at all.
Lying down, his head hits the roof.
Standing up, he cannot look into the cooking pot.
He throws a stone today and kills a bird yesterday.






*Pictures courtesy of the Internet.

*Prayer (Oriki) 1 taken from "The Handbook of Yoruba Religious Concepts" by Baba Ifa Kayode.

*Prayers (Orikis) 2-3 taken from "Eshu-Eleggua Elegbara: Santeria and The Orisha of The Crossroads" by Baba Raul Canizares