Page:History of Zoroastrianism.djvu/384

Viraf is escorted by Srosh and Atar to the celestial court, and presented by Vohuman to Ormazd he hears the voice of Ormazd, sees a light, but does not see him face to face.^[1] The souls of the righteous ones behold the place of Ormazd in heaven, and console themselves as having seen Ormazd himself.^[2]

He is intangible. The Gathic and Later Avestan texts spoke figuratively of the hands, mouth, eyes, and body of Ormazd. In the Pahlavi texts Zaratusht is portrayed as sitting by the side of the Lord and saying to him that the head, hands, feet, hair, mouth, tongue, and even clothes of Ormazd resembled his own, and therefore he wished to grasp the Heavenly Father with his hands. Ormazd thereupon tells him that this is impossible, for, as the godhead, he is intangible.^[3] A later text, on the contrary, speaks of Ormazd as taking hold of the prophet's hand and giving him wisdom in the shape of water to swallow.^[4]

He is omniscient. In his knowledge of the past, present, and future Ormazd is without an equal.^[5] It is he alone who is called the all-knowing one.^[6] He knows all that is to come, and is aware of the final overthrow and end of his adversary.^[7] Through his wisdom it is that man can guide himself to the path of righteousness.^[8] Owing to his power of comprehending everything, he is the best judge of man.^[9] He knows the inmost recesses of man's heart, for no secrets are hid from him.

He is omnipotent. Despite his rival who always thwarts his work, Ormazd is called omnipotent and all-ruling.^[10] Everything in the world has some superior, Ormazd alone has none.^[11] He is not wanting in anything.^[12] The strongest of men feels