Soul After Death according to Zoroastrianism
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After death the soul goes to the intermediate world (Hamistaken) which corresponds to Purgatory of Christianity. The soul of the righteous meets a beautiful maiden, the embodiment of his pure thoughts, pure words and pure actions. He crosses safely the bridge of the Judge (Chinavat bridge) which is the seat of judgement and reaches heaven. The bridge offers an easy passage for the righteous. The soul passes to ‘Amesh-spentas’ the golden seat of Ahuramazda.
The soul of the wicked meets a hideous hag, the embodiment of his evil thoughts, evil words and evil actions. He fails to cross the bridge and falls into fire or Hell. The bridge narrows to the size of the edge of a sword for the wicked.
The soul of the wicked meets a hideous hag, the embodiment of his evil thoughts, evil words and evil actions. He fails to cross the bridge and falls into fire or Hell. The bridge narrows to the size of the edge of a sword for the wicked.
After death the soul goes to the intermediate world (Hamistaken) which corresponds to Purgatory of Christianity. The soul of the righteous meets a beautiful maiden, the embodiment of his pure thoughts, pure words and pure actions. He crosses safely the bridge of the Judge (Chinavat bridge) which is the seat of judgement and reaches heaven. The bridge offers an easy passage for the righteous. The soul passes to ‘Amesh-spentas’ the golden seat of Ahuramazda. The soul of the wicked meets a hideous hag, the embodiment of his evil thoughts, evil words and evil actions. He fails to cross the bridge and falls into fire or Hell. The bridge narrows to the size of the edge of a sword for the wicked. | |||||||||
The soul of the dead hovers round the last resting place in the house, for three days. It takes its seat near the head and chants the Ushtavaiti Gatha “Happy is he to whom Ahuramazda shall give salvation.” Various ceremonies are performed for four days at the spot. The soul has to appear at the Chinavat bridge on the morning of the fourth day. In the case of the righteous there is a fragrant wind as it approaches the place and there appears a beautiful young maiden. The soul is quite astonished. It asks: “O beautiful maiden! who art thou?” She replies: “I am the conscience of your own Self. I am an embodiment of your own pure thoughts, pure words and pure actions.”
In the case of the unrighteous soul there is a foul-smelling wind when it approaches the bridge and there appears an ugly old hag. The soul asks: “Who art thou, O old lady?” She replies: “I am conscience of your own self. I am an embodiment of your own evil thoughts, evil words and evil actions.”
What Does The Gita Say On Life After Death
The Blessed Lord said: “Many births have been left behind by Me and by thee, O Arjuna, I know them all, but thou knowest not thine, O Parantapa.
“This eternal individual Jiva, the world of Jivas, is a ray of Myself and at the time of leaving the body he draws round himself the various senses, that is, the sense of hearing, sense of sight, sense of touch, sense of smell and sense of taste, with the mind as sixth sense, all these having their abode in Prakriti i.e., the world of matter, as distinguished from the Purusha, who is the Paramatman. When He acquires a body, and when He departs from the same, the Isvara takes these and goes out, even as the wind is laden with fragrance gathered from flowers and other sources. Verily, the perverted and the deluded do not perceive Him, who thus leaves the body, or who resided and enjoyed in the body in conjunction with the senses; but the Sages, endowed with the eye of wisdom, do perceive Him.
“There are two classes of beings in the world, the perishable and the imperishable. The perishable comprises the whole of Creation, together with the Universe of changing forms, whereas the imperishable is the eternal and the immutable. Different even from these two is yet the highest spirit known as the Paramatman or the Supreme Self, the immutable, who penetrates and nourishes the three worlds. Insofar as I transcend the perishable and the imperishable and because I am superior to them, I am realised as the Purushottama or the highest divinity in the world of Seers and Scriptures.
“That time wherein going forth Yogis return not, and also that wherein going forth they return, that time shall I declare to thee, O Prince of the Bharatas.
“Fire, light, day-time, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern path, then going forth, the men who know the Eternal go to the Eternal.
“Smoke, night-time, the dark fortnight, also the six months of the southern path—then the Yogi obtaining the moonlight, returneth.
“Light and darkness, these are thought to be the world’s everlasting paths; by the one he goeth who returneth not, by the other he who returneth again.”
Source:Spiritual4u.com
In the case of the unrighteous soul there is a foul-smelling wind when it approaches the bridge and there appears an ugly old hag. The soul asks: “Who art thou, O old lady?” She replies: “I am conscience of your own self. I am an embodiment of your own evil thoughts, evil words and evil actions.”
What Does The Gita Say On Life After Death
The Blessed Lord said: “Many births have been left behind by Me and by thee, O Arjuna, I know them all, but thou knowest not thine, O Parantapa.
“This eternal individual Jiva, the world of Jivas, is a ray of Myself and at the time of leaving the body he draws round himself the various senses, that is, the sense of hearing, sense of sight, sense of touch, sense of smell and sense of taste, with the mind as sixth sense, all these having their abode in Prakriti i.e., the world of matter, as distinguished from the Purusha, who is the Paramatman. When He acquires a body, and when He departs from the same, the Isvara takes these and goes out, even as the wind is laden with fragrance gathered from flowers and other sources. Verily, the perverted and the deluded do not perceive Him, who thus leaves the body, or who resided and enjoyed in the body in conjunction with the senses; but the Sages, endowed with the eye of wisdom, do perceive Him.
“There are two classes of beings in the world, the perishable and the imperishable. The perishable comprises the whole of Creation, together with the Universe of changing forms, whereas the imperishable is the eternal and the immutable. Different even from these two is yet the highest spirit known as the Paramatman or the Supreme Self, the immutable, who penetrates and nourishes the three worlds. Insofar as I transcend the perishable and the imperishable and because I am superior to them, I am realised as the Purushottama or the highest divinity in the world of Seers and Scriptures.
“That time wherein going forth Yogis return not, and also that wherein going forth they return, that time shall I declare to thee, O Prince of the Bharatas.
“Fire, light, day-time, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern path, then going forth, the men who know the Eternal go to the Eternal.
“Smoke, night-time, the dark fortnight, also the six months of the southern path—then the Yogi obtaining the moonlight, returneth.
“Light and darkness, these are thought to be the world’s everlasting paths; by the one he goeth who returneth not, by the other he who returneth again.”
Source:Spiritual4u.com
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