The Book of Arda VirafZoroastrianismVisionary / ReceivedPahlavi (Middle Persian)ShareIntroduction 2Martin Haug & E. W. West (1872) - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 availableMartin Haug & E. W. West (1872)LanguageEnglishEspañol‹Introduction 1Introduction 2Journey to Heaven 3Journey to Heaven 4Journey to Heaven 5Journey to Heaven 6Journey to Heaven 7Journey to Heaven 8Journey to Heaven 9Heaven 10Heaven 11Heaven 12Heaven 13Heaven 14Heaven 15Hell 16Hell 17Hell 18Hell 19Hell 20Hell 21Hell 22Hell 23Hell 24Hell 25Hell 26Hell 27Hell 28Hell 29Hell 30Hell 31Hell 32Hell 33Hell 34Hell 35Hell 36Hell 37Hell 38Hell 39Hell 40Hell 41Hell 42Hell 43Hell 44Hell 45Hell 46Hell 47Hell 48Hell 49Hell 50Hell 51Hell 52Hell 53Hell 54Hell 55Hell 56Hell 57Hell 58Hell 59Hell 60Hell 61Hell 62Hell 63Hell 64Hell 65Hell 66Hell 67Hell 68Hell 69Hell 70Hell 71Hell 72Hell 73Hell 74Hell 75Hell 76Hell 77Hell 78Hell 79Hell 80Hell 81Hell 82Hell 83Hell 84Hell 85Hell 86Hell 87Hell 88Hell 89Hell 90Hell 91Hell 92Hell 93Hell 94Hell 95Hell 96Hell 97Hell 98Hell 99Hell 100Epilogue 101›Chapter 2: Viraf and his preparations to visit the spiritual realmIntroduction 2ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter11. And that Viraf had seven sisters, (2) and all those seven sisters were as wives of Viraf; (3) they had also learned the religion of heart, and recited the prayers. (4) And when they heard those tidings, then they came upon them so very grievously, (5) that they clamored and shrieked, (6) and went into the presence of the assembly of the Mazdayasnians, (7) and they stood up and bowed, (8) and said thus: 'Do not this thing; ye Mazdayasnians; (9) for we are seven sisters, and he is an only brother; (10) and we are, all seven sisters, as wives of that brother. (11) Just as the door of a house, in which seven lintels were fixed, and one post below, (12) they who shall take away that post will make those lintels fall; (13) so for us seven sisters is this only brother, who is our life and maintenance; (14) every benefit from him proceeds from God. (15) Should you send him, before his time, from this realm of the living to that of the dead, (16) you will commit an injustice on us without cause.' 1717. And afterward, those Mazdayasnians, when they heard those words, pacified those seven sisters, (18) and said thus: 'We will deliver Viraf to you, safe and sound, in seven days; (19) and the happiness of this renown will remain with this man.' (20) Then they became satisfied. 21. And then Viraf joined his hands on his breast before the Mazdayasnians, and said to them (22) thus: 'It is the custom that I should pray to the departed souls, and eat food, and make a will; afterward, you will give me the wine and narcotic.' (23) The Dasturs directed thus: 'Act accordingly.' 2424. And afterward, those Dasturs of the religion selected, in the dwelling of the spirit, a place which was thirty footsteps from the good. (25) And Viraf washed his head and body, and put on new clothes; (26) he fumigated himself with sweet scent and spread a carpet, new and clean, on a prepared couch. (27) He sat down on the clean carpet of the couch, (28) and consecrated the Dron, and remembered the departed souls, and ate food. (29) And then those Dasturs of the religion filled three golden cups with wine and narcotic of Vishtasp; (30) and they gave one cup over to Viraf with the word 'well-thought,' and the second cup with the word 'well-said,' and the third cup with the word 'well-done'; (31) and he swallowed the wine and narcotic, and said grace whilst conscious, and slept upon the carpet. 3232. Those Dasturs of the religion and the seven sisters were occupied, seven days and nights, with the ever-burning fire and fumigations; and they recited the Avesta and Zand of the religious ritual, (33) and recapitulated the Nasks, and chanted the Gathas, and kept watch in the dark. (34) And those seven sisters sat around the carpet of Viraf, (35) and seven days and nights the Avesta was repeated. (36) Those seven sisters with all the Dasturs and Herbads and Mobads of the religion of the Mazdayasnians, discontinued not their protection in any manner. ‹Previous chapterIntroduction 1Next chapterJourney to Heaven 3›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public domain