イナンナは冥界の門を叩いて、入れてくれるように要求した<ref>Kramer, 1961, page90</ref><ref>Wolkstein, Kramer, 1983, pages54–55</ref><ref>Penglase, 1994, page17</ref>。門番のネティが「なぜ来たのか」と問うと<ref>Black, Green, 1992, page77</ref><ref>Kramer, 1961, page90</ref><ref>Wolkstein, Kramer, 1983, page55</ref>、イナンナは「姉エレシュキガルの夫」グガランナの葬儀に参列したいのだと答える<ref>Kramer, 1961, page91</ref><ref>Wolkstein, Kramer, 1983, pages56–57</ref>。ネティはこのことをエレシュキガルに報告し、エレシュキガルはこう告げた。「冥界の7つの門に閂をかけよ。そして、1つ1つゲートを開けて、イナンナを入れなさい。彼女が入ったら、王家の衣を脱がせるように<ref>Wolkstein, Kramer, 1983, page57</ref>。」おそらく、イナンナの衣服が葬儀にふさわしくないことと、イナンナの高慢な振る舞いを見て、エレシュキガルが不審に思ったのだろう<ref>Kilmer, 1971, pages299–309</ref>。エレシュキガルの指示に従い、ネティはイナンナに冥界の第一門に入ってよいが、ラピスラズリの物差しを渡さなければならないと告げた。イナンナがその理由を尋ねると、"地下世界の常識だ "と言われた。イナンナはそれに応え、通過した。イナンナは合計7つの門をくぐり、それぞれの門で旅の始まりに着ていた衣服や宝石を取り去り<ref>Kramer, 1961, page87</ref>、力を奪われていった<ref>Wolkstein, Kramer, 1983, pages157–159</ref><ref>Penglase, 1994, page17</ref>。姉の前に現れた彼女は、全裸であった<ref>Wolkstein, Kramer, 1983, pages157–159</ref><ref>Penglase, 1994, page17</ref>。
<blockquote>しゃがみこんで服を脱がされた後、イナンナは運ばれていく。そして、姉のエレシュキガルをその座から立たせ、代わりに自分が座に座った。7人の審判者であるアンナは、彼女に対して決定を下した。彼らは彼女を見た。それは死の目だった。彼らは彼女に話しかけた。それは怒りの言葉だった。彼らは彼女に向かって叫んだ--それは重い罪の意識の叫びであった。それは重い罪の意識の叫びであった。悩める女性は死体となってしまった。そして、その死体はフックに吊るされた<ref>Black Jeremy, Cunningham Graham, Flückiger-Hawker Esther, Robson Eleanor, Taylor John, Zólyomi Gábor, Inana's descent to the netherworld, http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/section1/tr141.htm, Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, Oxford University, 22 June 2017</ref>。</blockquote>
{{blockquote|After she had crouched down and had her clothes removed, they were carried away. Then she made her sister Erec-ki-gala rise from her throne, and instead she sat on her throne. The [[Anunnaki|Anna]], the seven judges, rendered their decision against her. They looked at her – it was the look of death. They spoke to her – it was the speech of anger. They shouted at her – it was the shout of heavy guilt. The afflicted woman was turned into a corpse. And the corpse was hung on a hook.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Black|first1=Jeremy|last2=Cunningham|first2=Graham|last3=Flückiger-Hawker|first3=Esther|last4=Robson|first4=Eleanor|last5=Taylor|first5=John|last6=Zólyomi|first6=Gábor|title=Inana's descent to the netherworld|url=http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/section1/tr141.htm|website=Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature|publisher=Oxford University|access-date=22 June 2017}}</ref>}}
Three days and three nights pass, and Ninshubur, following instructions, goes to the temples of [[Enlil]], [[Nanna (Sumerian deity)|Nanna]], [[Anu|An]], and [[Enki]], and pleads with each of them to rescue Inanna.{{sfn|Kramer|1961|pages=93–94}}{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|pages=61–64}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|pages=17–18}} The first three deities refuse, saying Inanna's fate is her own fault,{{sfn|Kramer|1961|pages=93–94}}{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|pages=61–62}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=18}} but Enki is deeply troubled and agrees to help.{{sfn|Kramer|1961|page=94}}{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|pages=62–63}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=18}} He creates two sexless figures named ''gala-tura'' and the ''kur-jara'' from the dirt under the fingernails of two of his fingers.{{sfn|Kramer|1961|page=94}}{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|page=64}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=18}} He instructs them to appease Ereshkigal{{sfn|Kramer|1961|page=94}}{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|page=64}} and, when she asks them what they want, ask for the corpse of Inanna, which they must sprinkle with the food and water of life.{{sfn|Kramer|1961|page=94}}{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|page=64}} When they come before Ereshkigal, she is in agony like a woman giving birth.{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|pages=65–66}} She offers them whatever they want, including life-giving rivers of water and fields of grain, if they can relieve her,{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|page=65}} but they refuse all of her offers and ask only for Inanna's corpse.{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|pages=65–66}} The ''gala-tura'' and the ''kur-jara'' sprinkle Inanna's corpse with the food and water of life and revive her.{{sfn|Kramer|1961|pages=94–95}}{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|pages=67–68}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=18}} ''[[Gallu|Galla]]'' demons sent by Ereshkigal follow Inanna out of the underworld, insisting that someone else must be taken to the underworld as Inanna's replacement.{{sfn|Kramer|1961|page=95}}{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|pages=68–69}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=18}} They first come upon Ninshubur and attempt to take her,{{sfn|Kramer|1961|page=95}}{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|pages=68–69}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=18}} but Inanna stops them, insisting that Ninshubur is her loyal servant and that she had rightfully mourned for her while she was in the underworld.{{sfn|Kramer|1961|page=95}}{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|pages=68–69}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=18}} They next come upon Shara, Inanna's beautician, who is still in mourning.{{sfn|Kramer|1961|pages=95–96}}{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|pages=69–70}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=18}} The demons attempt to take him, but Inanna insists that they may not, because he had also mourned for her.{{sfn|Kramer|1961|page=96}}{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|pages=70}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=18}} The third person they come upon is Lulal, who is also in mourning.{{sfn|Kramer|1961|page=96}}{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|pages=70–71}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=18}} The demons try to take him, but Inanna stops them once again.{{sfn|Kramer|1961|page=96}}{{sfn|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|pages=70–71}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=18}}