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LIFE AFTER DEATH

women are bedecked with jewelry, and those of warriors with golden arms and equipment studded with jewelry.[1]

Celestial food. The food that is given to the souls of the righteous ones in heaven as soon as they enter its gates is the ambrosia, the spiritual food of the angels themselves.[2]

Duration of heavenly bliss. The souls that have ascended to heaven enjoy happiness, and remain full of glory forever and ever.[3] This state of felicity continues up to the day of Resurrection.[4]

Hamistagan

The intermediary place between heaven and hell. It is situated between the earth and the starry regions.[5] According to the belief current in the Pahlavi period, which dates back to far more ancient times, there is provided a place for those particular souls in whose case the balance trembles evenly between good and evil at the bridge owing to the exact counterpoise between righteousness and sin in the scale into which they have cast their deeds in the present life.[6]

The condition of its inmates till the final day of the Renovation. The place of the Hamistagan resembles this earth.[7] The souls that are transported to this place have no other sufferings than cold and heat.[8] Exposed to the inclemency of weather, they shiver in winter and frost and are scorched in the tropical summer up to the day of Resurrection.[9] Beyond that, however, the Pahlavi texts speak of no other suffering, and their final fate is postponed till the universe is restored at the last day of the general restoration of the world.

Hell

Graduated hells. Corresponding to the four heavens or a fourfold division of heaven, the texts mention four principal

  1. ↑ Mkh. 2. 154, 156; AV. 12. 2, 3, 7, 9, 14, 16; 13. 1, 2; 14. 7–9, 14; 15. 9.
  2. ↑ Dd. 31. 12–14; Mkh. 2. 152, 156; Hn. 2. 38, 39.
  3. ↑ Mkh. 2. 157; 7. 17; 40. 30.
  4. ↑ Dd. 31. 25.
  5. ↑ Mkh. 7. 18.
  6. ↑ Phl. Vd. 7. 52; Bd. Modi, op. cit., 15; SLS. 6. 2; Dd. 20. 3; 24. 6; 33. 2; Mkh. 12. 14; Dk, vol. 9, p. 626; AV. 6. 7, 11.
  7. ↑ Bd. Modi, op. cit., 13.
  8. ↑ Mkh. 7. 19; AV. 6. 12.
  9. ↑ AV. 6. 6, 11, 12.
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