Page:History of Zoroastrianism.djvu/432

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
399
EVIL
Akoman

Ahriman's premier. As Vohuman is the first celestial being in the good creation, so Akoman, Evil Mind, ranks first among the evil creatures. Ahriman first produced Falsehood and after that Akoman,[1] as a consequence of which they often work in concert.[2] Still another text speaks of Akoman and Varun as created together.[3] Akoman came out from the dark world of Ahriman;[4] and of all the fiends this demon of perversion is most to be dreaded.[5]

His attempt to enter the mind of the prophet Zaratusht when a child to pervert it is frustrated by Vohuman. When Ahriman learnt of the birth of Zaratusht, who was to be a sure weapon of destruction against the Kingdom of Wickedness, he sent Akoman with instructions to enter the infant's mind deceitfully and pervert it.[6] The fiend approached the house in which Zaratusht was born and contemplated entering by the door.[7] But being as stupid and ignorant as his father he was easily defeated by his own weapon of deceit being turned against him. Vohuman, who had chased him to the spot, schemingly turned back and asked him to enter the house. Akoman thought that as his rival was leaving the place, his own work was finished, and consequently returned without accomplishing anything.[8] Akoman, moreover, is generally said to frighten children at their birth with the ghastly picture of their sufferings at the Renovation, and this is given as a reason why children cry at birth.[9]

Evil thoughts in man come from Akoman. In opposition to Vohuman, Akoman gives evil thoughts to men and causes discord.[10] It is owing to those evil thoughts of his that man becomes wicked.[11] Man has to purge himself of vicious thoughts. Unless he does this, he finds himself driven hither and thither

  1. ↑ Bd. 1. 24.
  2. ↑ Dd. 37. 53.
  3. ↑ Dk., vol. 3, p. 158, 159.
  4. ↑ Bd, 1. 27.
  5. ↑ Dk., vol. 9, p. 625.
  6. ↑ Zsp. 14. 8.
  7. ↑ Zsp. 14. 9.
  8. ↑ Zsp. 14. 10, 11.
  9. ↑ Dk., vol. 8, p. 439.
  10. ↑ Bd. 28. 7.
  11. ↑ Dk., SBE., vol. 37, bk. 9. 69. 21, p. 388.
This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.