OBJECTS OF RELIGIOUS CEREMONIAL 187 



decided according to the result of the weighing, whether the good 

 works or the bad ones tipped the scales. Thereupon the soul has to 

 cross the chinvat bridge, which is spanning the abyss of hell. To 

 the good soul it appears to be 9 spear lengths, or even a parasang 

 (between three and four miles) wide, led by a fair maiden — the 

 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 Rashnu 

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

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

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

 bridge and tumbles down into the abyss. Through the vestibules 

 of evil thoughts, evil words, evil deeds he arrives in the "infinite 

 darkness," the "home of the Lie," (druj), where the wicked 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," (Hamestakan) . 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 years, divided into four periods of 3,000 years each. 

 The first 3,000 years is the period of purely spiritual existences, as 

 models of 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 which was hidden for thousands of years in the Seistan lake, 



