Thank you for visiting. This article is the third installment (the final one) in a series explaining the original texts of Zoroastrianism.
In this final installment, I look at the story of the world that Zoroastrianism depicts, all at once from its beginning (creation) to its end. Judgment, heaven and hell, the savior, resurrection — words that sound somehow familiar appear one after another.
For an overview map of Zoroastrianism’s original texts as a whole, please see this summary article.
The Creation of the World — the Good World, and Its Defilement
Zoroastrianism’s creation myth is told in detail in the Middle Persian book the “Bundahishn (the Primal Creation)” and others. It is a grand plot, like the good-evil dualism we have seen so far turned directly into a story.
At first, the good god Ahura Mazda existed in the light above, and the evil spirit Angra Mainyu in the darkness below, each apart. Ahura Mazda first created a good world in perfect form. A clear sky, pure water, the earth, plants, and the primal animal (the sacred bull) and the first human (Gayomart) — all were in an ideal state without defilement or death.
But into that perfect world Angra Mainyu invaded and attacked. He brought the sacred bull and the first human to death, and brought death, disease, suffering, and defilement into the world. Thus began the present world, where good and evil are mixed — the “age of mixture,” so to speak. The now we live in is said to be exactly this midway stage where good and evil contend. And it is preached that this battle has a fixed end, and in the end good will win and the world will be purified. That is the story of the end times we look at in this article.
A World History of Twelve Thousand Years
The “Bundahishn” depicts this battle of good and evil as four ages, reaching twelve thousand years in all. That world history itself has a beginning and an end — this linear view of time is one of the greatest gifts Zoroastrianism gave to later ages.
| Age | Content |
|---|---|
| 1st period (–3000) | Ahura Mazda first creates all things in a spiritual state |
| 2nd period (–6000) | The world gains material form. An ideal age still without defilement or death |
| 3rd period (–9000) | Angra Mainyu invades, and good and evil mix — the “age of mixture” (= the present) |
| 4th period (–12000) | The savior Saoshyant appears, evil perishes, and the world is purified — the “age of separation” |
Unlike the view of time of India and China, which repeats eternally around a circle, Zoroastrianism thought that “the world has a purpose, and proceeds in a straight line toward the end of the victory of good.” The coming of the savior and the Last Judgment we see later are also positioned within this grand framework of time.
The Origins of Religion: Why We Needed a ‘God’View on Amazon →
A Complete History of Philosophy and ReligionView on Amazon →
The Soul’s Journey After Death — the Judgment at the Chinvat Bridge
First, when each individual human dies, what becomes of their soul? In Zoroastrianism, the soul is held to stay on the earth for a few days, and in time reach the bridge to the other world called the “Chinvat Bridge (the Bridge of Selection).”
At this bridge, the soul receives judgment by the deeds of its life. Its depiction is truly striking.
For a soul that piled up good in life, the Chinvat Bridge becomes a broad road, and, greeted by a beautiful maiden (the good deeds of life taking form), it crosses to heaven. Conversely, for a soul that piled up evil, the bridge becomes narrow like a razor, and it loses its footing and falls into the hell below.
Heaven and Hell
By the result of the judgment, where the soul heads is “heaven” and “hell.”
Heaven is the paradise at the side of Ahura Mazda, full of light and joy, also called the “House of Song.” Hell, on the other hand, is held to be a world full of darkness and stench, loneliness and suffering. Further, Zoroastrianism held that there is also a place like purgatory, so to speak, called “Hamistagan (the intermediate place),” where a person whose good deeds and evil deeds exactly balance goes.
This idea that “after death, one is sorted into heaven or hell according to one’s deeds” is familiar to us today. But seen in the history of religion, one of the oldest religions to preach this clearly is Zoroastrianism.
Frashokereti — the Renewal of the World
Not only the afterlife of the individual, but Zoroastrianism grandly depicts even the end of the world itself, and its completion afterward. That is “Frashokereti (the renewal of the world).”
The “age of mixture” seen at the start — at the end of the long battle in which good and evil contend, the time of the final decisive battle comes at last. There, the evil spirit Angra Mainyu (Ahriman) is completely destroyed, and all evil, suffering, and death are removed forever from the world. And the world is renewed into the perfect, pure form it had when created.
Saoshyant — the Savior Who Appears at the End
What leads this renewal of the world is the savior who appears at the end, “Saoshyant.”
According to tradition, Saoshyant is held to be born inheriting the blood (seed) of the founder Zarathushtra. That seed is miraculously preserved within a lake, and as the time of the end draws near, it is told that the savior is born from a virgin who purified herself in that lake. Saoshyant accomplishes the resurrection of the dead, leads the Last Judgment, and completes the final victory of good.
A savior born of a virgin, who saves the world and raises the dead — it goes without saying that this story calls to mind the later Christian image of the savior and the like.
The Resurrection of the Dead, and the Ordeal of Molten Metal
At the end, all the humans who died in the past rise with their bodies. This is the “resurrection of the dead.”
All risen humanity receives, as the Last Judgment, the ordeal of passing through a river of molten metal. According to the “Bundahishn,” at this time for the good it feels like a river of warm milk, and the evil are burned and purified. And after passing through this ordeal, it is also preached that ultimately even the evil are purified, all souls are saved, and a perfect world without evil is brought about.
In the end all is purified and becomes one under good — this hope-filled view of the end times is one of Zoroastrianism’s great charms.
To Learn More
Here are some related books. Reading them alongside this series lets you savor this world even more deeply.
An Illustrated Introduction to the World’s 5 Great MythologiesView on Amazon →
World Mythology for Beginners (illustrated)View on Amazon →
Conclusion
In this article, I explained in detail the world from creation to the end as Zoroastrianism depicts it. How was it?
Zoroastrianism begins with the creation of a good world by Ahura Mazda, passes through the “age of mixture” where good and evil mixed by Angra Mainyu’s invasion, and preaches that after death one receives judgment at the “Chinvat Bridge.” And at the end, under the savior “Saoshyant,” by the resurrection of the dead and the renewal of the world (Frashokereti), evil perishes and the world reaches completion.
Creation, judgment, heaven and hell, the savior, resurrection — the striking individuality of this religion lies in the point of having preached these as a grand story from ancient times.
In the next Article 4 (the final installment), I will explain the influence that this Zoroastrian thought gave to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and its history from the Persian Empire to the Parsis.
I hope you’ll read the next article too.
📚 Series: The Original Texts of Zoroastrianism (4/5)
