Ninlil

In Sumerian religion, Ninlil (𒀭𒊩𒌆𒆤 ^DNIN.LÍL "lady of the open field" or "Lady of the Wind"), also called Sud, in Assyrian called Mulliltu, is the consort goddess of Enlil. Her parentage is variously described. Most commonly she is called the daughter of Nunbarsegunu (or Ninshebargunnu (a goddess of barley) or Nisaba) and Haia (god of stores). Another Akkadian source says she is the daughter of Antu (Sumerian Ki) and Anu (a.k.a. An). Other sources call her a daughter of Anu and his mother, Nammu.

Enlil and Ninlil

Dedication to Ninlil by King Shulgi
(c. 2094–2047 BCE)

𒀭𒊩𒌆𒆤
𒎏𒀀𒉌
𒀭𒂄𒄀
𒍑𒆗𒂵
𒈗𒋀𒀊𒆠𒈠
𒈗𒆠𒂗
𒄀𒆠𒌵𒆤
𒉆𒋾𒆷𒉌𒂠
𒀀𒈬𒈾𒊒

^DNinlil.......................... "For Ninlil"
NIN-a-ni....................... "his Lady,"
^DSHUL-GI.................... "Shulgi"
NITAH KALAG ga........ "the mighty man"
LUGAL URIM KI ma..... "King of Ur"
LUGAL kien-................. "King of Sumer"
gi kiURIke..................... "and Akkad,"
nam-ti-la-ni-sze3........... "for his life"
a mu-na-ru................... "dedicated (this)"

Carnelian bead, elongated (7 cm), Harappan style, provenance unknown. Bearing a cuneiform commemorative inscription of Shulgi, dedicating the bead to the goddess Ninlil: "To Ninlil, his Lady, Shulgi, mighty man, king of Ur, king of the lands of Sumer and Akkad, dedicated (this bead) for his (own) life". British Museum, BM 129493[1][2][3][4] This type of carnelian bead was probably imported from India.[5]

She lived in Dilmun with her family. Impregnated by her husband Enlil, who lay with her by the water, she conceived a boy, Nanna/Suen, the future moon god. As punishment Enlil was dispatched to the underworld kingdom of Ereshkigal, where Ninlil joined him. Enlil impregnated her disguised as the gatekeeper, where upon she gave birth to their son Nergal, god of death. In a similar manner she conceived the underworld god Ninazu when Enlil impregnated her disguised as the man of the river of the nether world, a man-devouring river. Later Enlil disguised himself as the man of the boat, impregnating her with a fourth deity Enbilulu, god of rivers and canals. All of these act as substitutes for Nanna/Suen to ascend.[6] In some texts Ninlil is also the mother of Ninurta, the heroic god who slew Asag the demon with his mace, Sharur.