The Book of Arda VirafZoroastrianismVisionary / ReceivedPahlavi (Middle Persian)ShareJourney to Heaven 4Martin 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 4: What the dead experienceJourney to Heaven 4ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter11. And he ordered him to write (2) thus: In that first night, Srosh the pious and Adar the angel came to meet me, (3) and they bowed to me, and spoke (4) thus: 'Be thou welcome, Arda Viraf, although thou hast come when it is not thy time.' (5) I said: 'I am a messenger.' (6) And then the victorious Srosh the pious, and Adar the angel, took hold of my hand. (7) Taking the first footstep with the good thought, and the second footstep with the good word, and the third footstep with the good deed, I came up to the Chinwad bridge, the very wide and strong and created by Ohrmazd. 88. When I came up there, (9) I saw a soul of the departed, whilst in those first three nights the soul was seated on the top of the body, (10) and uttered those words of the Gatha: (11) ' Ushta ahmai yahmai ushta kahmaichit '; that is, 'Well is he by whom that which is his benefit becomes the benefit of any one else.' (12) And in those three nights, as much benefit and comfort and enjoyment came to it, (13) as all the benefit which it beheld in the world; (14) just as a man who, whilst he was in the world, was more comfortable and happy and joyful through it. 1515. In the third dawn, that soul of the pious departed into the sweet scent of trees; (16) and he considered that scent which passed by his nose among the living; (17) and the air of that fragrance comes from the more southern side, from the direction of God. 18. And there stood before him his own religion and his own deeds, in the graceful form of a damsel, as a beautiful appearance, that is, grown up in virtue; (19) with prominent breasts, that is, her breasts swelled downward, which is charming to the heart and soul; (20) whose form was as brilliant, as the sight of it was the more well-pleasing, the observation of it more desirable. 2121. And the soul of the pious asked that damsel (22) thus: 'Who art thou? and what person art thou? than whom, in the world of the living, any damsel more elegant, and of more beautiful body than thine, was never seen by me.' 2323. To him replied she who was his own religion and his own deeds, (24) thus: 'I am thy actions, O youth of good thoughts, of good words, of good deeds, of good religion. (25) It is on account of thy will and actions that I am as great and good and sweet-scented and triumphant and undistressed as appears to thee. (26) For in the world the Gathas were chanted by thee, and the good water was consecrated by thee, and the fire tended by thee; (27) and the pious man who came from far, and who was from near, was honored by thee. (28) Though I have been stout, I am made stouter through thee; (29) and though I have been virtuous, I am made more virtuous through thee; (30) and though I have been worthy, I am made more worthy through thee; (31) and though I have been seated on a resplendent throne, I am seated more resplendently through thee; (32) and though I have been exalted, I am made more exalted through thee; (33) through these good thoughts and good words and good deeds which thou practicedst. (34) They honored thee, and the pious man after thee, (35) in that long worship and communion with Ohrmazd, when thou performedst, for Ohrmazd, worship and proper conversation for a long time. (36) Peace be from it.' ‹Previous chapterJourney to Heaven 3Next chapterJourney to Heaven 5›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