On the Creation of the World: From Zoroastrianism’s Bundahishn, Part 1 of 2

Today, we invite you to listen to excerpts from Chapter 3 of the Bundahishn, where we gain insight into the manifestation of duality in the world and the inherent righteous virtue of humanity.

“On the rush of the destroyer at the creatures it is said, in revelation, that the evil spirit, when he saw the impotence of himself and the confederate demons, owing to the righteous man, became confounded, and seemed in confusion three thousand years. During that confusion the archfiends of the demons severally shouted thus: ‘Rise up, thou father of us! for we will cause a conflict in the world, the distress and injury from which will become those of Ahura Mazda and the archangels.’ […]”

“And before his coming to Gayōmard, Ahura Mazda brought forth a sweat upon Gayōmard, so long as he might recite a prayer of one stanza; moreover, Ahura Mazda formed that sweat into the youthful body of a man of fifteen years, radiant and tall. When Gayōmard issued from the sweat he saw the world dark as night, and the Earth as though not a needle’s point remained free from noxious creatures; the celestial sphere was in revolution, and the Sun and Moon remained in motion: and the world’s struggle, owing to the clamor of the Mâzînâkân demons, was with the constellations. And the evil spirit thought that the creatures of Ahura Mazda were all rendered useless except Gayōmard; and Astô-vîdâd with a thousand demons, causers of death, were let forth by him on Gayōmard.

But his appointed time had not come, and he (Astô-vîdâd) obtained no means of noosing him; as it is said that, when the opposition of the evil spirit came, the period of the life and rule of Gayōmard was appointed for thirty years. After the coming of the adversary he lived thirty years, and Gayōmard spoke thus: ‘Although the destroyer has come, mankind will be all of my race; and this one thing is good, when they perform duty and good works.’

And, afterwards, he (the evil spirit) came to fire, and he mingled smoke and darkness with it. The planets, with many demons, dashed against the celestial sphere, and they mixed the constellations; and the whole creation was as disfigured as though fire disfigured every place and smoke arose over it. And ninety days and nights the heavenly angels were contending in the world with the confederate demons of the evil spirit, and hurled them confounded to hell; and the rampart of the sky was formed so that the adversary should not be able to mingle with it. Hell is in the middle of the Earth; there where the evil spirit pierced the Earth and rushed in upon it, as all the possessions of the world were changing into duality, and persecution, contention, and mingling of high and low became manifest.”