8 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.61. 



embodiment of his good deeds and pious observances, and guided 

 by the good dogs, who keep watch over the bridge. Through the 

 three forecourts of good thoughts, good words, good deeds the soul 

 passes into the "infinite light," or "light eternal" (Garonmana, 

 "house of songs"), the abode of Ahura-Mazda with the archangels 

 and the spirits of the just, where it is regaled with angels' food and 

 set on a richly adorned throne. "Forever and everlasting they 

 remain in all glory with the angels of the spiritual existences 

 eternally." 



Very different is the lot of the wicked. A demon lassoes his 

 soul with his evil noose and drags him to the bridge, where Eashnu 

 with his balances detects all his wickedness. His evil ways con- 

 front him in a foul hag whose ugliness is the expression of his 

 character. He finds no helper, becomes frightened on the hair- 

 broad bridge and tumbles down into the abyss. Through the vesti- 

 bules of evil thoughts, evil v^^ords, evil deeds he arrives in the 

 " infinite darkness," the " home of the Lie " (druj) , where the Avicked 

 dead surround him, the demons mock him, and Angra-Mainyu bids 

 bring him loathsome and poisonous food. "And until resurrection 

 he must be in hell in much misery and torments of many kinds." 

 If the good deeds are equal to the bad ones he goes to the place called 

 "equilibrium" (Hamesfakan). The suffering here is slight, being 

 only a change from cold to heat, inclement cold and burdensome 

 heat following one after the other. 



But hell is not eternal, and the bliss of souls in heaven and their 

 torments in hell are not the final state of mankind. When the 

 present world age is at an end there will be a great assize and a 

 general judgment for all mankind. According to Zoroastrian cosmic 

 chronology the whole drama of the world will be played out in a 

 cycle of 12,000 3'ears, divided into four periods of 3,000 years each. 

 The first 3,000 j^ears is the period of purely spiritual existences, as 

 models ©f the future types of things. In the second period Ormuzd 

 creates the material world. In the third Ahriman breaks into the 

 creation of God. This is the age of human history characterized by 

 the conflict between the rival powers of good and evil. At the begin- 

 ning of the fourth period (anno mundi 9,000) Zoroaster appears, 

 and at its close the great consummation begins. Saoshyant, the 

 Savior, born miraculously of a pure maiden from the seed of Zoro- 

 aster Avhich was hidden for thousands of years in the Seistan lake, 

 in which she bathes, will appear, and all the dead will be raised, 

 their bodies being reconstituted of their original materials. The 

 risen dead will be assembled in one place and will know one another ; 

 the deeds of all will be manifest. Then the righteous and the wicked 

 will be separated, the former going to heaven, while the latter are 

 cast into hell to be punished in the body for three days, certain mon- 

 sters of iniquity being subjected to exemplary sufferings. When this 



