by Jayaram V
Zoroastrian texts interpret creation as a cosmic drama spanning over
a period of
12000 years. It is subdivided into four equal periods of
3000 years each. The first period is known as Infinite Time. During this
period the good and the evil remained in perfect balance in their
respective spheres. For 3000 years Ahura Mazda dwelt in the region of
light, while his opponent Ahirman or Angra Mainyu, the evil
spirit, remained confined to the region of darkness.
A great Void separated them both. At the end of the first period,
Ahirman crossed the void and attacked Ahura Mazda.
Knowing that the battle would continue for ever, Ahura Mazda recited Ahuna Vairya, the most sacred hymn of
Avesta and repelled him back. Having lost the battle, Ahuna Vairya withdrew hastily into his
dark world and remained there for another 3000 years.
During this interlude, Ahura Mazda brought forth the entire
creation. He created the six Amesha Spentas or the Immortal beings,
several angel spirits and asuras or spirit lords. He brought forth the
primeval Ox and the primeval man (Gayomart). From the primeval man he
created the material things such as water, air, earth and the metals. To the preexisting souls
(fravashis) He offered a choice, either to
remain as spirit beings or take birth upon earth as human beings to assist him in his battle against the evil. The preexisting
souls chose to take human birth and assist Him. While this was going
on, Ahirman manifested six daevas or evil powers and several evil spirits
in his domain to assist him in his
battle against God. When God finished creating the material world and
its entities, Ahirman was instigated by the Primeval Woman or the Whore to cross the void and attack
God's creation. He attacked both the primeval man (Gayomart)
and the primeval Ox and succeeded in killing them both. But in the process
he became trapped in the material things and the metals. This was
exactly what God intended as He knew in advance that the beginning frasgrid or the culmination
of the transformation of the cosmos would begin with the entry of
Ahirman into the material world and culminate at the end of the fourth period,
when he would be finally destroyed and all the evil forces would be consigned to the hell.
According to Zoroastrian texts, the fourth period began with the birth of
Zoroaster and would come to an
end when the future son of Zoroaster would appear upon
earth as the savior. He would wage a battle against the evil forces and
hold a Judgment Day to punish the evil and reward the righteous.
The Zoroastrian view of the universe
Zoroastrian texts depict a universe consisting of a spiritual world inhabited by spiritual beings of light and great
potency, ruled by Ahura Mazda, the highest and the supreme. In the
middle is a material world populated with material things and elements such as fire, water,
earth and air, human beings, plants, animals, metals and minerals, where
a constant battle goes on between the good and the evil. This is the
world in which we live. Finally there is a lower dark
world, beneath our plaent, inhabited by fierce demons, daevas, bad spirits, ruled by the fiendish
and wicked Ahirman who uses fear, greed and malice as his principal
weapons to afflict the entities of the middle world. Humans, plants, animals and all the
elements are susceptible to his attack and should therefore lead
morally righteous and socially responsible lives, seeking the protection of
God all the time.
How the world was transformed by the conflict
The spiritual world is invisible and flooded with incredible light. Darkness
cannot enter it. It is in the middle sphere or the material world where
the battle is raged. The Bundhahisn gives the following information on
how the world is transformed by this conflict.
In the month Frawardin and the day Ohrmazd he rushed in at noon,
and thereby the sky was as shattered and frightened by him, as a sheep
by a wolf. He came on to the water which was arranged below the earth,
and then the middle of this earth was pierced and entered by him.
Afterwards, he came to the vegetation, then to the ox, then to
Gayomard, and then he came to fire; so, just like a fly, he rushed out
upon the whole creation; and he made the world quite as injured and
dark at midday as though it were in dark night. And noxious
creatures were diffused by him over the earth, biting and venomous,
such as the snake, scorpion, frog (kalvak), and lizard (vazak), so
that not so much as the point of a needle remained free from noxious
creatures. 16. And blight was diffused by him over the vegetation, and
it withered away immediately. And avarice, want, pain, hunger,
disease, lust, and lethargy were diffused by him abroad upon the ox
and Gayomard. 18. Before his coming to the ox, Ohrmazd ground up the
healing fruit, which some call 'binak,' small in water openly before
its eyes, so that its damage and discomfort from the calamity (zanishn)
might be less; and when it became at the same time lean and ill, as
its breath went forth and it passed away, the ox also spoke thus: 'The
cattle are to be created, and their work, labor, and care are to be
appointed.' (Bundahishn Chapter 3.12-17)
Because of the attack of the evil forces the following happened
The
earth was pierced and an opening was created so that the fiendish forces
could enter the world easily through it from the hell which was beneath
the earth.
The world became subject to duality and "and
persecution, contention, and mingling of high and low became
manifest."
The sky and the constellation were disfigured and thrown
into utter confusion. Fire was mingled with smoke and darkness.
The
planets and the constellation were afflicted with evil influence,
resulting in the formation of comets with tails and eclipses.
Days and
night became unequal except for one day in a year.
As the evil forces
attacked Goshurn, Gayomard, the primeval man and the primeval ox, human
beings and cattle became susceptible to fever, disease, weakness,
hunger, fear, anger, malice, cruelty and death.
In the conflict with the
elements, the evil forces attacked water, air and the earth.
Water
responded by producing fierce rains and floods.
Air responded by causing
fierce storms.
The earth was shaken, resulting in the formation of
mountains.
Conflict with plant resulted in plant becoming susceptible to
dryness and disease.
Similarly there were changes in plant and animal
world as new forms, shapes and species appeared.
There were also changes
in the earth geography, in the formation of inhospitable terrains, snow,
mountains, oceans, forests and deserts.
From the primeval ox emerged a
number of new animals.
From the primeval man emerged new races. "As
there were ten varieties of man, and fifteen races from Fravak, there
were twenty-five races all from the seed of Gayomard; the varieties are
such as those of the earth, of the water, the breast-eared, the
breast-eyed, the one-legged, those also who have wings like a bat, those
of the forest, with tails, and who have hair on the body." (Bundahishn
15.31).
The Zoroastrian view of the world
Regarding the picture of Zoroastrian world as presented in the
Bundhahishn, Mary Boyce commented in the following manner. "In the
main, however, the absorbing interest of the Bd. lies in the antiquity
of its material. Here is preserved an ancient, in part pre-Zoroastrian
picture of the world, conceived as saucer-shaped, with its rim one great
mountain-range, a central peak thrusting up, star-encircled, to cut off
the light of the sun by night; a world girdled by two great rivers, from
which all other waters flow; in which yearly the gods fight against
demons to end drought and famine, and to bring protection to man.
Natural phenomena are speculatively explained; the sprouting of the
plants, for example, is ascribed to the mythical Tree of All Seeds
growing in the ocean, whose seeds are mingled with water and so
scattered annually over all the earth when the god Tishtar brings the
rains. Not only is the matter ancient and often poetic, but the manner
of presentation, although arid, is of great antiquarian interest; for
after the distinctively Zoroastrian account of creation, the speculative
learning and legendary history is set out in traditional oral fashion,
that is to say, in schematised mnemonic lists: so many types of animals,
so many kinds of liquid, so many names of mountains, so many great
battles. This is the learning of ancient Iran, as it must have been
evolved and transmitted by generations in the priestly schools."
(From Mary Boyce, Middle Persian Literature', Handbuch der Orientalistik,
1. Abt., IV. Band, 2. Abschn., LFG.1, pg 40-1. )
Conclusion
The Zoroastrians of the ancient world interpreted the cosmos based upon their
observation of
the natural phenomena and their own experience with in it, tempered by their
understanding and interpretation, in the
light of the religious knowledge preserved in their oral tradition.
The world was perceived as a battle ground between the good and evil
forces. While God created the world, much of it had been transformed and
disfigured by the activity of the evil forces. Whatever that was beautiful, radiant, pleasant, bright and lively
was the result of the
divine forces. Whatever that was ugly, dark, unpleasant, repelling,
deathly and sickly was caused by the presence of evil.
No one can ever
rest in such a conflict ridden world with peace of mind, without the help and protection of
God, which is possible only if we lead righteous lives and practice the
the three commandments of good thoughts, good words and good actions. No
one can take this world for granted because the dangers posed by evil
lurks everywhere. People should therefore respect the sanctity of
the world in which they live and lead very responsible and
morally righteous lives, guarding themselves against the temptations of
evil with the help of scriptures, the teachings of the prophet and
instructions of God. They should not give themselves to evil. They
should not break their covenant with God. They
should not do or say anything that would enhance or encourage the evil
or create a distance between them and God.
Suggested Further Reading
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